High Hopes
by Threebranch
Summary: Taking place several months after the events of 'Chlorine,' join Lyle, Lemy, Bobby, Stuart, and Jedi as they face the most talented of contenders in The Battle of the Bands. Warning: there's a little bit of smut. I also don't own any of the songs.
1. Chapter 1

**Before I begin, I must say that I don't own any of the songs that are written about in this chapter. There is one song, however, that I've written that's heavily inspired by 'What I've Done' by Linkin Park. **

**Also, this chapter contains what's practically my first attempt at writing smut. It's only a small part of the story made for the purpose of moving the plot forward and I don't plan on doing anything like that again for the foreseeable future.**

**Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this sequel to 'Chlorine.'**

* * *

"Everyone! Please welcome to the stage, the greatest band in Royal Woods!

You KNOW them! You LOVE them!

**GLOOM ECLIPSE!**"

It's the night of the Royal Rumble in Royal Woods High School and the crowd is going wild for the big event.

The headline of the event will be a new performance by this band with their newest song by their leader: Lyle Loud.

In the crowd are most of the members of the Loud family. All the people standing adjacent to them take a step in the opposite direction any chance the get out of disgust.

Among those are the parents of Stuart Ferguson, the band's bassist, and the parents of Dalton 'Jedi' Knight,' Gloom Eclipse's number one fan.

The band, Lyle and his brothers, Lemy and Bobby, along with Stuart hop on the stage ready to play.

At least half the people in the audience can be heard chuckling the second they saw Stuart and what he's wearing.

For whatever strange reason, he's wearing a red and black snakeskin design blouse.

Lyle looks over to him. _"Stuart, the reason why you suggested this to me, I'll never know."_

"_John Deacon… this one's for you!"_ Thought Stuart as he prepares to deliver the pre song introduction.

He leans into the microphone, beginning the performance.

"**I want to break free!**

…

**I want to break free!"**

In the audience, the father of three of the band's members, Lincoln Loud, thinks to himself, _"Queen? Why Queen? And why this song of all songs?"_

Stuart continues singing, with the band playing along with him.

"**I want to break free from your lies!**

**You're so self satisfied! I don't NEED you!**

**I've got to break free!"**

Lyle and Lemy sing along with Stuart.

"_**GOD KNOWS!"**_

"**God knows I want to break free!"**

They then stop all their music, earning some slight cheering from the crowd.

Lori leans closer to her brother, "Is… is that the show?"

Lincoln waves her off. "Just… keep watching, alright. That can't be everything."

Lincoln was proven right when Lyle sings into the microphone while standing by the piano, starting his newest song that he wants to share with Royal Woods.

"**AM I the ONLY one I know…"**

Lincoln nudges Lori with his elbow. "See! What did I tell you!?"

Alongside them are the mothers of Lyle and Lemy: Leni and Luna Loud, cheering them on.

"**WOOOO-HOOOO!"**

"**YEAH! LYLE!"**

Lyle ignores them and keeps singing.

"**Waging my wars behind my face and above my throat!**

**Shadows will scream that I'm alone…**

**Lone… lone…"**

Taking Lyle's words into their ears, Lemy and Bobby then start to play their instruments, giving the song a proper introduction.

The crowd goes wild again as Lyle starts to sing again.

"**I-I-I**

**I've got a MIGRAINE!**

**And my pain will range from,**

**Up, down, and SIDEWAYS!**

**Thank God it's friday!**

**Cause fridays will always be better than sundays,**

**Cause sundays are my suicide days!**

**I don't know why they always seems so DISMAL!**

**Thunderstorms, clouds, snow, and a slight DRIZZLE!**

**Whether it's the weather or the ledges by my bed!**

**Sometimes death seems better than the migraine in my head!**

**Let it be said what the headache represents…"**

Backstage, 'Jedi' Knight is rocking out to Lyle's new song.

"_How does he do it!? No, seriously! HOW the hell does he make songs this good!?"_

* * *

**(Great Lakes City, Ohio)**

A man in his early 20's and wearing a white bicycle helmet can be seen cycling down a bike lane in the city.

"It'll just be a quick store run." He told himself. Just a quick store run and head back home. There isn't enough time in the day to go shopping tomorrow.

His mind's going a mile a minute, only for it to slow down a little as he notices that all the street lights as well as the lights in the buildings all go off in front of him.

He starts to slow down his bike.

"_What the… a blackout?"_

* * *

**(Back in Royal Woods)**

Lyle is at the bridge of his song.

"**And I will say that we should take a day to break away,**

**From all the pain our brain has made;**

**The game is not played alone.**

**And I will say that we should take a moment and hold it.**

**And keep it frozen and know that,**

**Life has a hopeful undertone."**

Lyle and Stuart then sing along with Lyle.

"_**And I will say that we should take a day to break away,**_

_**From all the pain our brain has made;**_

_**The game is not played alone.**_

_**And I will say that we should take a moment and hold it.**_

_**And keep it frozen and know that,**_

_**Life has a hopeful undertone."  
**_Lyle takes over for the rest of the song.

"**AM I THE ONLY ONE I KNOW…**

**WAGING MY WARS.. behind my face and above my throat?**

**Shadows will scream that I'm alone!**

**But I know we've made it this far…**

**...kid."**

"**WOOOOOOOOOO!"**

The crowd goes wild again for Lyle's new song, giving the band the same feeling of satisfaction that they felt from back at the talent show.

"Thank you, everybody!" Said Lyle. "How do you all like my new song!?"

He can make out two or three different answers from underneath the sound of roaring applause from the audience before speaking again.

"Well, I'm glad you all love it. Heh. Heh. It was a really hard song to write. After weeks of trial and error, I finally came up with the last of the lyrics on a frid-"

Lyle was then cut off…

But maybe not as cut off as the electricity all over Royal Woods and by extension… **the world.**

Breaking the silence, Bobby asks,

"Hey, who turned off the lights?"

* * *

"**I've been thinking too much… help me.**

**I've been thinking too much… help me."**

With the 12 second global blackout from last night still fresh in their heads, the band finishes their warm up song requested by Jedi.

He takes a puff from his cigarette and throws it on the driveway so he could clap his hands.

"That was tight!" He said.

"**NO!" **Lyle snaps back, frightening everybody.

"That was not tight, all right!? Bobby was two beats behind the whole song, Lemy was playing an A minor, not an A7 like he usually does…"

He points at Stuart.

"And you, dude, you're wearing a woman's shirt!"

Stuart shrugs his shoulders. "It's called a BLOUSE! All my clothes were dirty and I had to choose between this one and the one I wore last night!"

That was a lie, Stuart has become more of a neat freak than he was last year. He just wanted to wear the blouse for some strange reason even he can't explain.

"Lyle, you've been snapping at us a lot more than usual lately. Is this about the…"

Lyle cuts Lemy off. "Damn straight it's **The Battle of the Bands! **You all saw the commercial! Winner gets a recording studio album deal! If there's any band out there that deserves an album, it's Gloom Eclipse!"

"Lyle, this is insane." Bobby said as he puts his drumsticks down. "The odds of us getting picked is probably around 1 in 100. They said they'd only pick 5 bands."

Lyle argues back. "You're saying it like the bands are getting randomly selected to go on stage! **'Migraine' **alone is worth at least an entry to the contest!

'**Triple T' Matt Thomas **would agree with me here, guys. Come on."

Jedi scratches his chin. "Ah. 'Triple T.' I love that guy. Yeah. It'd be great if you were to impress the host of 'Great Lakes Radio.'"

"I know who Matt Thomas is, thank you." Said Lyle.

"Anyway, my mom did say to me once that a deadline is the perfect inspiration when it comes to creative work. I'll try to create some new songs for us to perform before we go on stage if we were to get accepted. I've got my eye on the prize and I'm not letting ANYBODY take it away from me!

GOT IT!?"

Slightly frightened, everybody nods their heads.

"Good." Said Lyle, giving off a big smile to everybody so they can calm down a little. He then points to Jedi. "Okay, number one fan. Got any requests?"

Jedi grins. "Play 'Ride!'"

The whole band then groans. "Come ON man! We just DID 'Ride!'"

"WELL, PLAY IT AGAIN! IT'S A GOOD SONG!" Yelled Jedi, wanting to hear his favorite song again.

"Why I oughta-" Lyle stops himself. He'll get his revenge against Jedi soon, just not now and in a different way that's more productive to the band as a whole.

"Okay… who are we to keep you from your favorite song? Everybody ready?"

Stuart speaks up. "Ready to start training for a contest we have no snowball's chance in Hell to actually be admitted to!? Yeah, I'm ready."

"ALL RIGHT!" Said Lyle as the band repeats what they've already done less than five minutes ago.

"**I just wanna stay in the sun where I find…**

**I know it's hard sometimes…**

**Pieces of peace in the sun's peace of mind…  
I know it's hard sometimes…"**

* * *

**(LATER THAT NIGHT)**

**(La da dee - Cody Simpson)**

"**La da dee.**

**La la do doo. **

**La da da me.**

**La da da you.**

**La da dee.**

**La la da doo.**

**There's only me, there's only you."**

Exiting the bathroom, Lincoln is making his way down the stairs to the master bedroom.

Ever since hearing Lyle's newest song, he took it upon himself to try to not forget any interesting songs he comes across.

He feels proud of his sons, getting called the best band in Royal Woods is no small achievement.

Maybe next, they can aim for the best band in Michigan. It's not a far reach from being the best in Royal Woods.

"**La da dee.**

**La la da doo.**

**La da da me.**

**La da da you."**

He opens the door to his room and walks inside. Shutting the door behind him.

"**La da dee.**

**La la da doo.**

**Oh, when you're gone, I'll think of-"**

"**AAAAAHHH!"**

"**AAAAAHHH!"**

Lincoln nearly screams his lungs out as he's being tacked onto the bed.

He opens his eyes to see his older sister, Luna, stare down at him with lustful eyes.

"Bro, I think it's about time I tell you about this great idea I've been having!" He hears her say.

He smiles nervously. "And… you tackled me onto the bed… WHY!?"

Luna giggles before she goes on to lick his face with her eyes rolling to the back of her head.

"Since our son is in a band and is gonna be competing against four other bands… it got me thinking…

Wouldn't it be great if WE were to be competing against THEM!?"

Lincoln's eyes widened. "What!? What makes you think they'll… we'll…"

Luna grins. "Oh, don't worry about all that, bro. Just sit back and let me do all the work. It's about time we provide the kids some… _challenge._"

She gets off of Lincoln and makes him sit up. He then hears giggling from behind him. He looks behind him to see three of his younger sisters: Lucy, Lana, and Lisa smiling at him.

They then start to take off their clothes.

Lincoln then looks back at Luna to see that she's taking off her clothes too.

Slowly and quietly, he says. "You want to start another family band."

* * *

"_Oh fuck. Bro. FUCK ME HARDER!"_

"_Your fingers are like… magic!"_

"_That's it… keep licking. I want to feel your tongue!"_

"DAMN IT!" Lyle screams out. "I knew I should have bought those damn earbuds!"

He then looks over to his sleeping sister. "WHY DOES SHE GET TO SLEEP WHEN I CAN'T!?"

He tosses and turns in his bed. Trying to stop hearing what's going on in his dad's and aunts bedroom. He repeats the same sentence in his head over and over again.

"_I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING… I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING TO SLEEP! I'M TRYING… I'M TRYING TO…"_

He then slows down.

He feels himself going into that unique feeling of euphoria as he finds himself drowning in creative possibilities.

"Haha!" He laughs to himself as he turns on his desktop lamp and gets a pencil and a piece of paper. "Dad… you may have just handed me the keys to GLOOM ECLIPSE'S victory!

I'll be sure to mention… NO I WON'T! I'M DOING THIS ALL BY MYSELF!

ME! ME! ME! ME! ME!"

He then starts to write. "Hahahahaha! ALBUM HERE I COME!"

* * *

Lincoln groans as he climaxes onto the naked body of his older sister.

Luna laughs to herself a little bit before sitting up. She's directly facing her brother's penis.

While feeling the hands of three of his equally naked younger sisters rub themselves over his chest and his back, he uses his own to stop Luna from leaning her mouth forward into his privates.

She gazes up, having no desire to talk or even tilt her head in any direction but forward, wondering why her beloved younger brother had stopped her from doing what she wants to do.

"Luna, how do you plan on telling the kids? I'm sure they won't take the news lightly." She hears him say.

She feels his hands loosen up a little on both sides of her head so she leans closer forward.

"I told you not to worry, didn't I?" She said before moving to engulf Lincoln's penis into her throat.

* * *

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!

**LYYYYYLLLEEEEE!"**

Things are not easy this sunday morning as Lemy rushes up the stairs and runs down the hall to the closed bathroom door where his brother's showering.

"LYLE! WE'RE IN BIG BIG TROUBLE! I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO!" He screams out in a panicked gasp.

"_I don't care about the world and all it's problems while I'm in the shower, bro!" _Lyle says in a sing song like voice.

Lemy then opens the unlocked door and sticks his head in, shocking Lyle.

"No, man! Listen! My mom just told me that she's gonna enter the competition with dad and a few of our aunts!

WE NEED TO BE ON OUR A-GAME!"

"_BRO!" _Lyle shouts back. _"If you don't get the fuck out of here RIGHT NOW I swear to GOD, bro!"_

"Lyle!" Said Lemy. "Are you in the shower right now!?"

This baffled Lyle. _"Of course I'm in the… What kind of quest-"_

Lemy then goes into the bathroom and closes the door behind him.

"_Listen man! LISTEN! YOU DON'T… YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!"_

***SWOOSH***

Swoosh. That can only mean the sound of one thing.

Lemy continues yelling at a wet, naked Lyle.

"_LYLE! Are you WET!? How are you in the shower and you're wet!?"_

"_My brother's lost it!" _Thought Lyle.

He talks back. _"I will physically fight you, Lemy. A PHYSICAL FIGHT! Are you ready for that?"_

"_GET OUT! WE NEED YOU TO WRITE THOSE NEW SONGS NOW!_

_I NEED YOU!"_

The sound of the running water then stops.

"Stop looking at my ass, Lemy."

* * *

**It was the year 2007, I watched a lot of T.V. back then and I stumbled upon an episode of Drake and Josh. That joke about the blouse leaped out at me at the time and a voice in the back of my head was saying, "Remember this. It will be important to you later." 12 years later, in 2019, when I was thinking of ways to make the story better, that scene opened up in my head as if I've seen the episode of Drake and Josh yesterday. It's funny how life does that to you sometimes.**

**The whole scene with the shower is something I got from an internet video from a group called Dormtainment. Most of their videos are old but I recommend them anyway.**

**Also, if any of you thought that I forgot about Joey, I didn't.**

**See you soon, everybody.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**(Two months later)**

While on his way to the Loud House, Jedi doesn't have his car radio turned on.

Instead, he sings to himself whatever lyrics he can remember from his favorite song.

"I'm falling so I'm taking my time…

I'm falling so I'm taking my time…

Who would you live for? Who would you die for?

And would you ever…"

He turns onto Franklin Avenue only to hear increasingly loud music.

"**WAKE ME UP!"**

"**WAKE ME UP INSIDE!"**

"**I CAN'T WAKE UP!"**

"**WAKE ME UP INSIDE!"**

"**SAVE ME!"**

While trying to ignore the overwhelming urge to let go of the wheel and put both hands over his ears, he then hears his cell phone vibrating in his cup holder.

He quickly glances at it. It's Lyle.

* * *

**(Robbery - Juice WRLD)**

"**She told me to put my heart… in the bag,**

**And nobody gets hurt!**

**Now I'm running from her love… I'm not fast!**

**So I'm making it worse!**

**Now I'm digging up a grave… for my past!**

**I'm a whole different person!**

**It's a gift and a curse,**

**But I cannot reverse it!"**

Lemy looks up from the ground to see his friend, Joey, from the other side of the garage point at his own ear and says some things he couldn't hear because he has his earbuds in.

He pauses the song and takes his earbuds out. "I'm sorry. What did you say?"

Joey repeats what he said now that Lemy can hear him.

"I said… what song are you listening to? It sounds kinda familiar."

"It's called 'Robbery.'" Lemy answers. "I've been listening to a lot of music from this one guy lately. Juice WRLD. You may or may not have heard of him."

The name of the artist caught Joey's attention. "Juice WRLD? Wait… isn't he the guy that had that seizure way back when?"

Lemy nods. "Yeah, died at the young age of 21, too. I imagine it came as a shock to everyone. You know, back when it happened."

"You know, Lemy. Come to think of it, I think I have listened to one of his songs just last week. 'Lucid Dreams.' I think it was."

Lemy crosses his arms. "Hmm. I don't remember listening to THAT one. How'd it go?"

"I have these lucid dreams where I can't… feel these things?" Said Joey, trying hard but failing to remember the lyrics to the song. "I'll listen to it when I have the time."

Lemy then notices Jedi in his car pulling up to the house, "Well look who finally came to join us!"

Jedi gets out of his car and shakes hands with Lemy and Joey.

"Hey man! I got the news from Lyle! _You've all made it in! Congrats!_"

Lemy chuckles. "Lyle was the one who got us in. We wouldn't be standing here right now if it weren't for him."

"Wait… right HERE!? In Stuart's garage?" Questioned Joey.

"Yup." Answered Lemy. "Because unfortunately, MY PARENTS… made it in too!"

"WHOA MAN! That sucks!" Yelled Jedi. Joey also looking a bit concerned as well.

"I'm not all that worried though!" Continued Lemy. "Lyle did say earlier that he has an ace up his sleeve!"

The three guys then hear three other voices coming from the hallway leading up to the garage.

They see Lyle, Bobby, and Stuart talking to each other, but something caught Jedi's attention.

Stuart has been growing his hair out. It was pretty long before but now it's looking almost feminine.

He shakes those thoughts out of his head as he hears Lyle address him.

"JEDI! I'm so glad you could make it!"

"Yeah, well… I couldn't leave my friends hanging after hearing the good news. Lemy here told me you got an ace up your sleeve. Something to beat your aunt?"

Lyle gives a goofy smile. "Yeah man, I do! The ace up my sleeve is…"

He quickly places both his hands on Jedi's shoulders, catching his full attention.

"_**YOU!"**_

Jedi's eyes widened. "WHAT!? M-me? What about me?"

Lyle picks up a folder nearby then looks at Jedi again.

"Three of my aunts are in the band along with Dad and Aunt Luna… so with you singing my brand new song…"

He hands the folder over to Jedi.

"Gloom Eclipse will have FIVE members!"

Jedi takes the folder from Lyle.

"You wrote a whole new song!? Okay… let's just see. LET'S JUST SEE IF I CAN BE ABLE TO SING WHATEVER YOU-"

He opens the file expecting to be disappointed at what Lyle had written. He was so used to songs like 'Ride,' "Stressed Out,' 'Chlorine,' and 'Migraine,' that his new song seems like a breath of fresh air to him.

"Okay… this song may actually help us win the competition!" Said Jedi, amazed at what he read.

"It'll take me some practice, but… I think I can get this down!"

"Well all right!" Said Lyle. "That's one problem solved!"  
He then feels Bobby tap him on the shoulder.

"Talk to him about the other thing!" He tells him.

"OH YEAH! THAT!" Said Lyle as he faces Jedi again.

"Lemy's parents aren't the only one's we're facing…

There's ANOTHER talented band!"

That caught Jedi's attention. "Huh?"

Lyle faces Stuart. "Stuart, tell him."

Stuart looks confused at first but then goes on to explain the situation.

"Huh? Oh, um… yeah. There's this… band… from Great Lakes City. They've… gotten pretty big over the last few months.

They call themselves **'Essential Greece.' **They even model themselves after characters from Greek mythology."

Bobby chimes in. "You gotta give **'Saturday Night' **a listen, man! It's their best song!"

Joey then takes a step forward, ready to argue with Bobby.

"You think THAT'S their best song!?" He then faces Jedi. "Don't listen to him. Listen to **'This is Gospel'** instead. It's actually not a Christian song like I first thought… it's WAY better than that religious crap!"

Lemy points at Joey. "Are you kidding me, man!? Their best song is **'Far Too Young To Die!' **We listened to that song TOGETHER and you think that wasn't the best song they came up with!?"

Joey argues with Lemy. "I'm not saying that song was BAD… I think the lyrics weren't as memorable. Unlike This is Gospel… 'Words are knives that often leave scars.' That just sticks out to me for some reason."

"Guys. Guys! Just stop!"

Everybody stops talking and looks at Lyle.

"What are we hoping to accomplish here!? Are we Gloom Eclipse or The Essential Greece Fan Club? We got a lot of work ahead of us if we want to win this tournament…"

Lemy relaxes his shoulders. "Lyle's right. He wrote a new song while the rest of us have been sitting on our hands. It's time we pull our own…"

"ALSO!" Interrupts Lyle while also pointing fingers at everyone else in the garage. "All of you are WRONG! **High Hopes** was their best song!"

This enraged everyone, except Jedi, who was trying to figure out which song he should listen to first, and Stuart, who finds himself attached to every word that Lyle's saying.

Lyle's comment ended up sparking a massive argument that lasted throughout the rest of the day and there was no band practice.

Everybody went home without changing anybody else's mind.

* * *

**(The next day)**

Lyle and Lemy are at Ketcham Park lamenting about their insults the day before.

Lemy is sitting down on a swing while Lyle is walking backwards on top of a nearby balance beam.

Lemy looks up from the ground and at his brother.

"Again, man. I'm really sorry I called you a whore! I don't know WHERE I got THAT from!"

Still walking backwards, Lyle talks back. "Probably because of my looks or something like that. I'm the one who should be apologizing, Lemy. I shouldn't have brought it up. I mean… have you even SEEN the look on Stuart's face when you insulted me? He looked like he was about to let loose and tear your head off."

Lemy rolls his eyes. "Yeah… I HAVE seen that! He must have loved the song as much as you did."

He then gets up from the swing and sees Lyle jump back to the ground.

"Let's just put it all behind us and forget it ever happened. Okay?"

Lyle smiles at his brother. "It's okay by me, man. Hug it out?"

As soon as he hears his brother's offer, Lemy dives his arms around Lyle's back and embraces him.

"Alright… Alright man… You can let go now."

That's when they both hear a woman call out to them.

"Wow. The one day I decided to jog here and I just so happen to meet you two guys."

Lyle and Lemy quickly let go of each other to face the woman who has confronted them. Lemy then goes wide eyed when he takes in the fact at who he's seeing right now.

This woman looks to be in her mid 40s, has long blond hair in a ponytail, blue eyes, and is wearing a sky blue joggers outfit that exposes her stomach. As well as her cleavage.

"WHOA!" Lemy mutters out. Also seeing that there's no kids out, he goes on to swear. "Holy SHIT! You're _**Sam Sharp!**_"

He faces his younger brother, "Lyle! Look who it is!"

Lyle talks back. "I know who Sam Sharp is, thank you."

Sam smirks as she looks at Lemy. "So I take it that your mom talked about me before?"

Lemy struggles to speak. "Well… YEAH… Once or twice… but… I can't believe I'm actually standing here TALKING TO YOU!

I'm such a big fan of your music!"

This made Sam giggle. "Well it looks to me like you're an even bigger fan to your brother. The way I saw you hug him like that…"

She extends her hand out to Lyle, who accepts her handshake. Making Lemy a bit jealous but decided to keep quiet.

"You know, I got a kick out of your first song, 'Stressed Out.' It really… made me wish for a simpler time in life."

Lyle just stands there with his mouth open. "Uh…"

"NOT THAT… the time I have here right now isn't good, of course. I also liked… 'The Hype.' 'You don't get thick skin without getting burnt.' That was… genius."

"Ah." Said Lyle. "I see… You're more of a fan of my more… slower stuff."

"Well…" Said Sam. "Some days I like the faster stuff better."

Lyle chuckles. "Well… I think you're gonna like my newest song that Gloom Eclipse will release to the public in The Battle of the Bands two months from now."

"YEAH!" Yelled Lemy. "Can you believe that we're gonna be competing against MY PARENTS! I still can't believe they even got accepted!"

"They probably wanted a mother-son feud for ratings." Said Sam.

"Anyway, I'm looking forward to this new song of yours, Lyle. I don't care if its slow or fast."

"Well thank you Sam. I really appreci-"

"SO YOU'RE SAYING YOU SUPPORT US AND OUR MUSIC!?" Yelled Lemy, interrupting Lyle due to being unable to contain his excitement.

"Well… yes. That's the idea." Said Sam.

"I'd love to stay and talk with you guys a little more, but I only allow myself so much time for jogging.

Hopefully next time I see you guys… your album will be making its way to the stores."

She shakes their hands, then jogs off.

"Hahaha!" Lemy laughed. Having just shaken the hand of Sam Sharp, he's jumping up and down with a goofy smile on his face.

"Come on, man." Said Lyle as he puts his hands in his pockets. "We've spent more than enough time outside already."

They then start to head back home with Lemy still jumping.

"Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp. Sam Sharp."

* * *

It was unusually quiet that night, and Lyle saw this as an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.

He's starting back at a blank piece of paper with a pencil in his right hand and his desk lamp turned on.

He thinks back to all the things that have happened over the last two days: His fight with Lemy and then later his apology as well as the confrontation of the famous musician Sam Sharp, who at one point earlier in life, dated Luna Loud before everything… _changed._

For a split second, he even tried to imagine what Luna Loud would have been like if she hadn't fucked her brother and gave birth at the young age of twenty.

She would probably be touring the country with Sam instead of working at a help desk at an IT department for nine hours a day.

As much as he thinks of her as his enemy in the tournament, he does feel like he should be thanking her for giving him the one thing that he needs in order to defeat her band and claim the grand prize.

That thing, of course, is Lemy Loud.

Lyle lightly slaps himself out of his train of thought and focuses more on his songwriting.

The only problem is that what he's gonna write about.

"Hmm. Should it be a _fast_ song… Or should it be a _slow_ song…

Decisions decisions…"

* * *

A few rooms over, everything is pitch dark and quiet, perfect conditions for sleep to take over…

Only for Lacy Loud to break the silence by asking Lupa a question.

"Psst. Lupa? You awake?"

The white haired girl in the bed on the other side of the room rubs her eyes and answers.

"Ugh. I am now. What do you want?"

Lacy turns to her side and directly faces her sister.

"I can't sleep, Lupa. I keep thinking… Who do you think will even WIN the Battle of the Bands?

Our aunts or our brothers?"

Lupa scoffs at her sister's question and turns the other way, wanting to get back to dreaming about her and her dad.

"You want my opinion, sis? Fine.

_I hope they both lose."_

* * *

**Originally, I was going to have Lemy, Joey, and Stuart sing Post Malone's 'Die For Me' in the garage scene and have Stuart wear women's clothes again, but I changed it due to the death of Juice WRLD because he died while I was planning this story. It seems appropriate.**

**So a quick summary: Jedi is going to sing a song for Gloom Eclipse during the tournament and 'Panic! At the Disco' doesn't exist in the 'Chlorine' Sin Kids universe.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sitting at his desk, Lyle is in the middle of writing his newest song.

Conditions for him couldn't be any better. The entire house is empty and he's gotten more than enough sleep for him to finish off the second verse.

This day however, is only going to get better for him once he sees its gift standing right in front of him.

"LYLE! YOU GOTTA HELP ME!"

Lyle has heard a lot of feminine voices in his time yet this one seems new to him.

New, yet somehow familiar.

He walks over to his bedroom door and unlocks it. He then opens to door to reveal a stunning sight in front of him.

A girl, probably around the age of 16, the same age he is now, with long, light brown hair, brown eyes, and luscious, perfect breasts under her black and red blouse.

After taking a moment to look her up and down, taking in every detail he can, he asks, "Uhh… who are you?"

The girl stands there with her mouth hanging open. In an angry, yet cute tone of voice, she says, "Lyle… I'M STUART! STUART FERGUSON!

I BECAME A GIRL SOMEHOW!"

Taking in Stuart's words, Lyle looks over the female body in front of him again, this time a bit more faster.

"Uhh… Really? How did THIS happen?"

This only made Stuart angrier.

"That's the thing! I don't KNOW how it happened!"

Stuart turns around, unintentionally showing Lyle a full view of his transformed, well rounded butt.

"One of your aunts is a scientist, right? We need to track her down and make her fix whatever this-AAAAHHH!"

Stuart notices tears gathering up in his eyes as he feels Lyle, who's standing right behind him, groping and fondling his breasts.

He becomes even more scared when Lyle leans into his ear and softly speaks, "Why do we have to go so soon… _Stephanie?_"

"S-Stephanie?"

While trying to take in the fact that his friend and band member had come up with an alternate name which to call him, he then feels himself getting forcefully shoved onto Lyle's bed.

Lyle quickly shuts and locks the door behind him then looks down on the girl he calls 'Stephanie.' Giving a lustful gaze while licking his lips.

"It'll be about three hours before anyone comes back into this house. Until then…

I'm gonna do whatever I want with your body."

Stuart brings his knees closer to his transformed chest and gulps. Lyle seriously can't go through with something as monstrous as rape, can he?

"Y-you know I'm a… I used to be a MAN, right?" Stuart manages to stutter out while trying to think of anything else other than his situation.

Lyle keeps staring at Stuart's transformed body as he answers his question.

"I know… you also used to be as six year old boy ten years ago… but that doesn't make me a pedophile, does it?

I'm gonna take all your clothes off now."

"W-Wait! NO!"

Stuart tries to push Lyle off of him as he tugs at his blouse only for him to quickly realize that most of his strength has gone away when he magically transitioned.

There was really nothing he can do. Lyle's going to have his way with him whether he wants him to or not.

It took Lyle less than a minute to remove every piece of clothing Stuart has on. His shoes, socks, blouse, shorts, and underwear are now scattered on the floor.

Now naked, Stuart covers his exposed breasts and newly formed vagina with his hands as he watches Lyle take off his shirt.

Speaking in a tone that shows he's more afraid than ever, Stuart stutters out a desperate plea. "Please… B-be gentle."

Lyle stares at the naked form of his newly female victim with lustful eyes as he unzipped his jeans.

"Oh Stephanie… _I don't think I can._"

Stuart's eyes then wander to Lyle's waist while still covering himself.

It'll be a second before he takes his 'thing' out.

If they're really going to spend the next three hours in bed together, that thing is going to be in his mouth and probably deep inside both of his holes for at least a while.

He doesn't know what it feels like to be raped, but now he's about to find out…

* * *

"_I will never bother you,_

_I will never promise to,_

_I will never follow you,_

_I will never bother you._

_NEVER SPEAK A WORD AGAIN,_

_I WILL CRAWL AWAY FOR GOOD!"_

The song, 'You Know You're Right' by Nirvana was what snapped Stuart out of his dream AKA his rape fantasy.

He slowly picks up his phone and stops the alarm.

"_That's three nights in a row now." _He thinks to himself. _"And why do they always have to be rape fantasies? Can't I just have something norm-"_

He stops thinking. He doesn't even know why he's even dreaming about Lyle in the first place.

He's known him for more than a year now and during that time, age wasn't the only thing that's changed about himself.

His hair is now almost as long as Lyle's. The big difference is that Lyle always keeps his long hair in a ponytail while Stuart lets it all loose.

With his phone still in his left hand, Stuart uses his right to go under the covers. Feeling some familiar lace fabric.

"Hmm. Maybe… that's why."

In addition to occasionally wearing blouses during the day, curiosity has led Stuart to further experimentation with himself.

Instead of wearing boxers when he goes to sleep, he started wearing red and black colored lace panties that he himself bought.

It was originally supposed to be a one time thing, just one night only and everything goes back to normal, but unfortunately, he's finding them so damn comfortable.

What was intended to be for a single night has turned into a habit that kept repeating itself every time the sun sets and the night sky takes over.

"How did it get like this." He says to himself. He doesn't want to stop anything. The blouses. The panties. The long hair. The rape fantasies. How could he stop? If it wasn't for him wanting to try out new things, he wouldn't be in Gloom Eclipse in the first place.

Just thinking of the name of Lyle's band made his heard skip a beat. All the music they've made over the past sixteen months kept playing in his heart as well as his head.

He stares up at the ceiling, finally admitting defeat.

"That's just it, isn't it? _I'm in love._"

While Stuart would like to stay in bed longer and think about more erotic fantasies where he would become a woman named Stephanie and end up getting intimate (as well as physical) with Lyle, he had to get up from bed early this special morning.

Today is the day Gloom Eclipse goes to Detroit to compete in The Battle of the Bands.

* * *

From one bedroom to another, Lincoln looks at Luna checking herself out in the mirror.

"Well, bro! How do I look!?" Said Luna as she spins around, purposely showing her younger brother every curve of her body.

With a new family band comes with some new 'duds.' Lincoln himself is wearing his own dark orange and black rocker outfit.

"Umm… you look like a rock star, Luna…

But I got a question… what if we actually DO beat our son's band? We're not exactly… album worthy, you know?"

Still smiling, Luna shakes her head.

"Bro, you and the rest of our sisters should know by now… We're not trying to be the best… all we're doing is having fun!

When we come back home tonight and Lyle and Lemy know this… then I've done my job as an aunt and a mother!"

Lincoln smiles as he stands up from the bed and pulls his sister close.

"I think I can remember back when you said something like that." He said as he plants a kiss on her forehead, earning some giggling from her.

"Alright Luna, _let's go have some fun!_"

* * *

The band of Gloom Eclipse along with most of the remaining Loud family are outside on the driveway.

Lemy's sister, Lyra, looks directly at her brother.

"I can't believe it. You're going to be in the Battle of the Bands. I don't know what to say."

"If you don't know what to say then don't say anything." Said Lemy. "I suppose I should… thank you, Lyra.

Everything worked out in the end anyway."

With tears in her eyes, Lyra gives Lemy a hug. "OH LEMY! I'M SO SORRY!"

Lemy tries to break free. "Lyra get off me! I forgive you!"  
This only made Lyra hug harder. "I hope you and the band beat our mom and her band! You've worked so hard!"

Lyle is talking with his mom and his sister.

"And I want you guys to know that I love you very much and I'll have you two in my head the whole time I'm on stage."

Leni and Liena smile at him.

"Thank you, Lyle. We'll be rooting for you." Said Leni, wiping a tear from her eye.

Jedi narrows his eyes at Lupa, who then does the same.

"Lupa."

"Dalton."

Jedi's right eye twitches after hearing his real name come out of Lupa's mouth.

"Alright! I need everybody's attention!"

Everybody stops talking and looks at Joey Damone, who's by his car ready to leave for Detroit.

"I just wanna say… For a long time, I didn't really know what I'd been born. It felt a bit pointless."

He pauses and takes a deep breath.

"But now I DO know… I was born to serve the greatest band in the great city of Royal Woods!"

Bobby then breaks the silence that came after Joey's statement.

"Did you get that from a MOVIE, dude?"

"Uh, no!" Said Joey. He points at Lyle. "Anything you wanna say before we go?"

Lyle puts his hands on his hips as he stares up at the clear sky with the sun that's still rising.

"Yeah, just this… I can't believe we're going to be on live T.V. tonight."

* * *

"_**TWENTY!**_

_**NINETEEN!**_

_**EIGHTEEN!**_

_**SEVENTEEN!"**_

The large crowd of people that ended up packing the theater shout as the clock counts down the numbers for the Battle of the Bands to start.

Backstage, looking at everything, an increasingly nervous Lyle shouts out to Lemy, Bobby, Stuart, Jedi, and Joey, who are also looking really nervous,

"OKAY! NOW I BELIEVE IT!"

**I feel like I have to explain something right here so that's just what I'll do.**

**When I finished the second draft of this story in my head, I realized that it suffered from two problems: it was too short and there is next to no characterization with Stuart.**

**I didn't want you guys to notice the huge difference with how Stuart contributes to the plot when it comes to this story compared with his role in 'Chlorine.' So I did some brainstorming.**

**I finally decided on the whole transgender thing due to the music video of 'I Want To Break Free.' by Queen because Stuart's favorite member is John Deacon (he wrote the song) and it would work as a funny intro to the story.**

**So yeah, Stuart now has a strong desire to be a woman and is madly in love with Lyle because a long time ago there was a music video where the band, Queen, dressed up in drag.**

**I also got to say, there's only going to be a few scenes with most of the characters for the rest of the story. A lot of characters are going to be introduced.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Before I start this chapter, I gotta let you guys know that I've looked into the Nintendo World Championships 2015 to get in idea of how the intro of the Battle of the Bands is going to play out. **

**Anyway, enjoy.**

* * *

Chapter 4

"THREE!

TWO!

ONE!

ZERO!"

The large crowd cheers as multiple fog machines start to activate.

The Battle of the Bands has officially started.

Through the overhead, a familiar voice from the movie **'Young Frankenstein'** gives the iconic introduction to the host of the event.

"_Ladies and gentlemen! Mesdames et messieurs! Damen und herren!_

_From what was once an inarticulate mass of lifeless tissues…_

_May I now present a CULTURED, SOPHISTICATED,_

_MAN ABOUT TOWN!"_

The crowd screamed at the top of their lungs, "**MATT THOMAS!**"

They cheer as lights went on as their host made his entrance in the form of a song.

**(Song: Put it on the Ritz)**

"If you're blue and you don't know where to go to,

Why don't you go where fashion sits!"

The host points the microphone he's holding to the audience, who screams out,

"PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ!"

Matt Thomas keeps singing.

"Different types of wear all day.

Coat pants with stripes and cut away. Perfect fits!"

"PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ!"

"Dressed up like a million dollar trooper!

Trying hard to look like Gary Cooper!"

"SUPER DUPER!"

"Come let's mix where Rockafellers walk with sticks or umbrellas, in their midst!"

"PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ!"

"Hahahaha! YES!"

Matt Thomas ends his performance by throwing his hands up in the air, with the audience doing the same.

For the event he's hosting, he's wearing a standard black suit and red tie. Putting on a formal look for the Battle of the Bands.

"HELLO EVERYBODY! HOW IS YOU!?"

The crowd cheers again.

Matt keeps smiling as he starts hosting the event.

"Good evening everybody! Good to see ya!

I'd like to welcome you all to the Battle of the Bands! YOU ALL MADE IT!"

The crowd cheers again as Matt continues.

"So good to see all of you! We have some Beatles fans! Some Queen fans! Fans of such marvelous singers such as Drake, Ed Sheeran, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Justin Bieber!

For everyone in attendance as well as everyone who is streaming us live across the country, this will be an epic evening packed with excitement!

Packed with incredible surprises from some of the most talented musical artists who have been handpicked to join us here today!

You know, can you believe TWENTY FIVE years have passed since the first Battle of the Bands in 2020!?

I was SEVENTEEN during that time! The world has changed so much since then. There's all these… celebrity deaths and increasing student loan debts…

But… not everything… has changed!

I still love music! I think the industry as a whole is getting better than ever!

And to be quite honest, I still fall asleep every night on my Beatles bed sheets.

But… as much as I would love for tonight to be about me and only me, I was told several times it is not….

THIS… is about our five bands who are competing to win… THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS!"

"**WOOOOOO!"**

"YEAH! I can't do this alone! You all know that! I know that!

So please join me in welcoming my favorite co-host, to explain the rules of today's tournament!

YOU KNOW HIM! YOU LOVE HIM! SAY HIS NAME WITH ME NOW!"

Matt Thomas and the crowd say the next guest's name aloud together.

"**ROOOOOY MARTINEZ!"**

As soon as they all say the name, a smiling hispanic man in his late 20's runs up on the stage to shake hands with the host.

Roy Martinez is wearing a purple jacket with a dark blue shirt and jeans. While Matt's hair is clean and well kept, Roy's hair is spiky and messy. The differences between the looks of the two hosts aside, to say that they are good friends would be an understatement.

"Thank you Triple T!" Shouted Roy, using Matt Thomas's nickname.

"Thank you."

"Alright everybody, listen. For anybody who have just tuned in to this competition of ours for the very first time and knows absolutely nothing about us, here are the rules.

At this point, all the bands we have here tonight have no idea who will be playing first or last.

Now we're not going to unveil the order yet because we're going to keep randomly selecting bands as we go through the first round.

As you may already know, there are five bands.

Each of these bands have been picked by the higher ups from a pool of over 500 groups who have submitted video auditions to us. They're very lucky to be here.

So each band will have the chance to perform ONE song for us in the first round. After each performance from the bands, YOU GUYS will be deciding who goes into the final round by voting, either by call or text. The top three bands with the most votes will advance to the final round. At this point, it gets simpler."

"Sure."

"The surviving three bands will play ANOTHER SONG… which the audience will vote AGAIN…

The band with the most votes wins The Battle of the Bands 2045!"

The crowd goes wild again. **"WOOOOOO!"**

Roy smiles. "YES! Thanks everybody! And… to all the bands waiting backstage… Good luck."

Matt laughs as Roy gets off from the stage. "Haha! What a bud, isn't he? Always ready to go on the air when I'm not around!

We're in for a treat, aren't we guys? We're gonna hear a bunch of good songs! How about… some brand new songs nobody's even HEARD before, would you like to hear them?

We've got it all! This is an epic evening…

And AGAIN, I have the greatest back up a person could ASK FOR…

We have two famous music bloggers joining me tonight…

**MARK RICHARDS AND CHLOE GRANGER!**"

The crowd cheers as two people in their mid 40's make their way onto the stage. They sit down on the white chairs on the stage's edge.

Mark is an average looking man with brown hair with a cleanly shaven face and is wearing a sky blue dress shirt with white pants.

Chloe is a tall, blonde, green eyed woman who's wearing a white blouse with pictures of black cats on it and black dress trousers.

Matt speaks up again. "Now Mark here knows more about band trivia than I know about… anything in the world actually! And Chloe here has her cat blouse on for us today! That's cool. I love cats.

GUYS! What does tonight mean for the two of you!?"

Still smiling, Mark speaks into his microphone…

Only for nobody to hear him talk because it isn't working at all.

Noticing this, Matt talks over him. "You could just scream it. Scream at the top of your lungs for us, Mark."

Hesitantly, Mark screams out, "IT'S… IT'S AWESOME!"

Matt then rushes to Mark's side and leans closer to him.

"Here, speak into MY microphone! Right into my bosom, Mark! Right into my bosom!"

Shrugging, Mark did what he was told.

"Matt… I just wanna take this moment and say that I've been WAITING for this for a long time.

Not only to be hosting the Battle of the Bands with you and Chloe but also this… embracement right here, thank you!"

Matt laughs then gets off of Mark.

"Glad to hear it, buddy. With that being said, we're legally married now. Chloe, is your mic working?"

A guy from backstage hands Chloe a working microphone.

"I just wanna… HEY IT WORKS!"

"BOOM!" Yells Matt. "But don't worry, you'll get your embrace soon enough."

Chloe continues speaking. "I just want to say that I agree with Mark here and that I've also been looking forward to this day for a long time.

These people spend countless hours of their own time working on their art and now they have a chance to share it with everybody here tonight! I can't wait!"  
Matt laughs again. "I appreciate it, guys! I really do!

With all THAT being said, IS EVERYBODY READY TO MEET THE BANDS!?"

"**WOOOOOO!"**

"WELL THEN HERE YOU GO! HERE ARE YOUR FIVE BANDS STARTING WITH…

**NIGHTS OF NOSTALGIA**!"

**(I love Rock and Roll - Joan Jett)**

A recording of Luna's voice can be heard over the speakers above the audience, as they cheer the first band to go on stage.

_"Singing… I love rock n' roll!_

_Put another dime in the jukebox, baby!_

_I love rock n' roll!_

_So come and take your time and DANCE WITH ME!"_

Luna, along with Lincoln, Lucy, Lana, and Lisa, walked onto the stage waving to the audience.

Knowing their full background, Matt spitefully speaks out.

"You all may remember Luna Loud all the way back from America's Next Hitmaker, and now SHE and… SOME of her family are here with us TONIGHT!"

On the sidelines, Mark leans closer to Chloe.

"Matt DOES know all about the…"

"They were picked for a reason, Mark. Ratings."

Matt looks at Luna as well as her brother/husband, Lincoln. Disgusted on the inside but calm on the outside.

"So… Luna… How does it feel to be here tonight?"

Smiling, Luna answers, "Well, Triple T… We came here tonight not so that we're trying to be the best… but to just have a lot of FUN! I do hope every other…"

Matt then rudely interrupts her. "Yeah yeah yeah! Got it! You all just stay RIGHT where you are…

This next band is ALSO very close to Luna's band… at least half of them are."

Matt takes a second to clear his throat. "Also from Royal Woods, please welcome…

**GLOOM ECLIPSE**!"

Lyle's song, Migraine, plays for everyone as he, Lemy, Bobby, Stuart, and Jedi introduce themselves on the stage. **(Joey's still backstage. He's more of a roadie and not an actual member.) **

_"AM I THE ONLY ONE I KNOW…_

_WAGING MY WARS… behind my face and above my throat!_

_Shadows will scream that I'm alone!_

_But I know we've made it this far…_

_… kid."_

"Lyle Loud here is the nephew of Luna Loud and the son of Lincoln Loud. He has written songs that are… more than okay. I personally liked this one; 'Migraine.' It's relatable. Lyle, is there anything you want to say to all the people out here tonight?"

Trying to shake off the stage fright, Lyle answers, "Uh… Migraine is… a good song… It's my most… RECENT song and…"

"Heh. Nervous huh?"

"Y-Y-YEAH! I also wanna say that we have some new songs today! I mean tonight!"

Matt laughs. "Hahaha! I like that! Okay! Good luck to you guys! You're going to need it! Especially against your aunts and… your dad." Said Matt with a hint of disgust in his voice.

Lincoln rolls his eyes. _"Just go through with it, Lincoln. You always have been."_

"For our next band, they come from RIGHT HERE, STRAIGHT from the heart of Detroit, please welcome…

**THUG TWILIGHT!**"

A female voice can be heard singing a cover of a song.

**(1999 - Charli XCX and Troye Sivan)**

_"I just wanna go back, back to 1999!_

_Took a ride to my old neighborhood!_

_I just wanna go back, say;_

_"Hit me baby, one more time!"_

_Wanna go back, wanna go!"_

The crowd cheers as five people make it onto the stage.

Luna's band and Lyle's band stare at what looks like to be the leader of the third band on stage.

She's a biracial girl who's half black and half white and in her late teens wearing a magenta dress with a hint of black at the ends.

Along with her are two guys and two girls, all dressed up like gangsters with black and white T-shirts, baggy pants, and hats.

"Twyiana! **Twyiana Davis** is the band leader and they're gonna be giving it their ALL tonight! Would you like to say a few words for us, Twyiana!?"

Twyiana speaks to the audience. "Well Matt, you know we're not gonna be making this all about us tonight! WHAT'S GOING ON DETROIT!?"

"WOOOOOO!"

"WHO LOVES YOU AND WHO DO YOU LOVE!?"

"THUG TWILIGHT!"

Matt speaks again. "Hahaha! Couldn't have said it better myself. Good luck out there, Twyiana, we'll be rooting for you!

Now I know you all can't help but notice that they kinda wanted to go back to the year 1999 by singing THAT song, well I'm happy to say, the NEXT BAND we have will DEFINITELY take us there! Straight from the suburbs of Grand Rapids, Michigan! Everybody give it up for…

**D.A.B.S.A.**!"

The sound of the band's leader can be heard starting off a song.

**(Larger Than Life - Backstreet Boys)**

_"YEAH! HAHAHAHA!"_

Luna angrily crosses her arms. "What kind of band would name themselves a name like THAT!?" She thought.

_"All you people can't you see, can't you see!_

_How your love's affecting our REALITY!_

_Everytime we're down! You can make it right!_

_And… THAT MAKES YOU LARGER THAN LIFE!"_

Five guys in their late teens wearing flashy attire walk/dance onto the stage. One could even say they've flat out stole the look of every single boy band that existed in the late 90's.

"Devin, Austin, Brian, Steven, and Ashton! Put them all together and you got D.A.B.S.A.! Devin, how do YOU feel about tonight!?"

The leader of the band, Devin, takes off his sunglasses as he answers Matt's question, "D.A.B.S.A.'s got its sights set on the BIG TIME, Matt! We're not talking about hosting some… stupid radio station… WE'RE TALKING HOLLYWOOD! Before long… THE WHOLE WORLD will know… D.A.B.S.A.!"

Matt speaks again, trying to come up with a comeback to Devin's statement. "Uhh… okay. I guess. **Devin Walker**, everybody!

Now LAST… and CERTAINLY not least… is a brand new band STRAIGHT from Great Lakes City, Ohio!

Their leader… you know him as a man who writes very very good songs…

DETROIT… please make some noise…

**FOR ESSENTIAL GREECE**!"

That was when everybody on stage got a look at Essential Greece for the first time.

True to their name, Essential Greece does give off an impression from ancient Greek mythology.

There are four members. One guy is bigger than all the rest. He's wearing a brown and white robe, a fake beard and tree branches on his head. The fans know him as **Darren 'Dionysus' Easton.** Essential Greece's guitarist.

Another member is a short guy with stringy, brown hair and glasses. He's wearing a long, brown jersey along with matching pants and has fake horns on his head. The fans know him as **Peter 'Pan' O'Connor.** Essential Greece's drummer.

The third member is the band's sole female member. She's dressed in a fine, glittery, red dress and is wearing a rose corsage on her long, blond, perfect hair. The fans know her as **Miranda 'Marigold Midas' May.** Essential Greece's bassist and girlfriend of the lead singer.

Finally, there's the lead singer.

He's a young man of average height and has curly brown hair. Wearing a red and white robe along with a makeshift halo made out of gold colored foil around his head.

The fans know him as **Josh 'Apollo' Kelley.** The lead singer and pianist of Essential Greece. He has recently written many songs that have elevated their position in the world of music like 'Saturday Night,' 'High Hopes,' and 'Hey Look Ma, I made it.'

Another one of his songs are playing on the speakers.

**(Far Too Young to Die)**

_"Well I never really thought that you'd come tonight!_

_When the crown hangs heavy on either side!_

_Give me one last kiss while we're far too young to die!_

_We're far too young to die!"_

The cheering from the audience was almost deafening, they've certainly heard Josh's songs before.

Trying to talk over the audience, Matt speaks again,

"Josh! Never in my life have I ever seen anybody make this many great songs in only four months.

If I may ask… how do you do it?"

Josh chuckles a little before answering Matt's question. "Alright Matt, if you must know… Sometimes I feel like someone else has written all my songs."

Matt laughs along with half of the audience. "Okay… umm…. Do you have any idea who?"

Josh keeps smiling. "THAT… would only spoil the fun… which to be honest is why I FORMED Essential Greece three years ago! Fun!

And now I have a chance to share my newest songs with everyone! I can't wait!"

"Wonderful! Just wonderful!" Said Matt. "Give it up for Josh Kelley everybody!"

Now it's Lemy's turn to think angry thoughts. _"Come on! Lyle can take this guy out! He can't be THAT talented!"_

Matt continues speaking. "Alright! Now that everyone's been introduced, you guys wanna know which band's performing for us FIRST!?"

**"WOOOOOO!"**

"Hahaha! Alright then! Everyone… keep watching that screen!

The band that will be randomly chosen to play first in the Battle of the Bands 2045!"

Everybody looks up at the giant screen; which is rapidly speeding through pictures of the five competing bands on stage before slowing down with each picture shown.

*BEEP… BEEP… BEEP…

DING DING DING*

"GLOOM ECLIPSE!"

Upon seeing his band's name on the screen, Lyle gulps. Unlike the talent show, he isn't going to have any prep time before Gloom Eclipse's performance.

"Son of a…" He reminds himself he's on live T.V. and that he can't swear. Not wanting to risk early elimination, he completes his sentence.

"Biscuit."

* * *

**Okay guys, now that the chapter's done, here's some more explanation.**

'**Triple T' Matt Thomas is an OC that I created specifically for this story. He is entirely based off of a real life radio host that I've listened to when I was in High School and had to be in my car by 6 A.M. That includes the scene from 'Young Frankenstein.'**

**Roy Martinez is a parody of the character 'Roy' from Zoryan El Muerto's story, 'Fight for the Link Redux: Shippings Clash.' I saw charisma in the character so I decided why not.**

**Mark Richards is a parody of Mark Richardson from ShootingStarBlitz's story, 'Too Little Too Late.' That character is the sane, rational man who has to face a mountain of debaucherous accounts of past events according to the Sin Kids in that AU. The story hasn't been updated in over a year but if Blitz doesn't want to write anymore, we shouldn't force him to.**

**And finally, Chloe Granger is a parody of Sheriff Kim Granger from MarcellusMiro66's story, 'Deadfall.' I just think she's a cool character and that's all.**


	5. First Round (Part 1)

Gloom Eclipse and D.A.B.S.A.

"Lyle, I don't know if I can do this! I'm too nervous!"

While the rest of Gloom Eclipse are preparing for their live performance, Lyle is seen consoling a frightened Jedi.

"Hey man. I got nervous too when I got up on the stage during that talent show. Heck, it still didn't get any easier for me before when I performed 'Migraine' for the first time."

"How do you do it, man?" Questioned Jedi. "How do you stand in front of all these people and just… perform?"

"One verse at a time." Answered Lyle. "Don't envision the whole song in your head if it seems too big for you. Just focus on the first verse then move on…"

"Lyle! They're ready for us now!" Lemy shouts out to them. Lyle can tell his brother is just as nervous as everyone else.

"Alright, men!" He shouts out to the band. "Success isn't given, it is TAKEN! Let's give these guys a show they'll never forget!"

As they head off to the stage, Stuart thinks to himself.

"_Brian May and Roger Taylor, this one's for you two!"_

Matt Thomas is on stage speaking to the audience.

* * *

"Among all the bands here tonight, these guys are the youngest…

They're all still in High School if you can believe that.

But we've had quite a few high school bands compete for us before so if there's any band that will have any potential tonight, it's got to be them.

Now without further ado…"

Matt reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small sheet of paper.

"Please welcome Gloom Eclipse; performing their NEWEST SONG… **Guns for Hands**!"

"**WOOOOOO!**"

Matt gets off of the stage and sits down with Mark and Chloe.

One by one; Lyle, Lemy, Bobby, Stuart, and Jedi walk onto the stage with their instruments in hand. Jedi is clearing his throat to try to sing better.

They take their positions and wait for the cheering of the audience to settle down a bit before playing.

"Ahem."

Jedi clears his throat again, this time into the microphone.

He then nervously looks at Lyle, who is at the keyboard, he nods at him.

Feeling more confident than before, Jedi nods back. He then hears Lemy and Bobby start off with the song.

Without thinking, he walks up and down the stage, scanning the whole audience's reactions before he starts singing. Lyle and Stuart at this point started playing.

"**I know what you think in the morning,**

**When the sun sets on the ground,**

**And shows, what you have done,**

**It shows, where your mind has gone…**"

Looking at the band performing from backstage, Joey thinks to himself. _"Ah shit. Here we go. Don't fuck this up, guys!"_

"**And you're swearing to your parents,**

**That it will never happen again.**

**I know, what that means, I know.**

**That you all have guns!**

**And you never put the safety on!**"

Also watching the performance, Luna thinks, _"Hmm… Interesting song so far, but I think Lyle had something on his mind while writing it. Something… spiteful?"_

Chuckling, Matt looks over to see Mark and Chloe stare at him. "What?"

"**But there's hope out the window,**

**So that's where we'll go!**

**Let's go outside and all join hands,**

**But until then, you'll never understand!**"

Lincoln crosses his arms. _"I can't believe you, Lyle. One genius idea after another._

_If only the song Luna wrote is half as good as this."_

As soon as Jedi finishes off the second chorus, the audience then found themselves caught off guard as Stuart, Lemy, and Bobby change up the beat.

"_WHAT THE HELL!?"_ Thought Matt as he stands up from his seat, surprising Mark and Chloe. _"They're supposed to be playing ONE song!" _

He then starts to see Jedi clapping his hands in a pattern similar to the rhythm of the music behind him… then he sees the audience doing the same thing.

The audience aren't the only ones who are clapping however; backstage, Darren, Peter, and Miranda notice that their band leader, Josh, is clapping along with everybody in the crowd. Looking as happy as Gloom Eclipse is on stage.

Jedi then starts to sing in a style similar to rap.

"**We turn our hands to guns,**

**Trade in our thumbs for ammunition!**

**I must forewarn you of my disorder,**

**Of my condition!**

**'Cause when the sun sets it upsets what's,**

**Left of my invested interest!**

**Interested in putting my fingers to my head!**

**The solution is, I see a whole room of these _mutant kids_!**"

* * *

"_Fused at the wrist, I simply tell them they…_"

Watching the show from the living room T.V. the rest of the Loud family find themselves shocked at the content of Lyle's newest song.

"Whoa." Said Lupa, bringing her hand closer to her open mouth as she's caught off guard at what she just heard.

"That was… a good lyric."

* * *

"**Obviously best for them to turn their guns to a FIST!**"

Having finished with the rap section of the song, Jedi turns his head to see Lyle, playing some of the higher keys of the piano.

He grins at him as if he's saying, 'Good job.' Jedi smiles back and finishes the rest of the song.

"**I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep!**

**I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep!**

**But I can't but I can't when you all have,**

**Guns for hands! Yeah!**"

Lemy and Stuart then sing with Jedi to close out the song.

"_**I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep!**_

_**I'm trying, I'm trying to sleep!**_

_**But I can't but I can't when you all have,**_

_**Guns for hands! Yeah!**_"

"**WOOOOOO!**"

The five guys look up to see the audience of over 5000 people cheer them on after their song.

"_There's that familiar feeling again."_ Thought Lyle.

"They love me guys! They really love me!" Shouted an ecstatic Jedi.

"Now that's what I call a song!" Said Matt, walking up on stage again.

Jedi then points at Lyle. "Give all the credit to THIS guy right here! He wrote the WHOLE song!"

Matt laughs at Lyle. "Hahaha! The whole song! Especially that part in the middle where it sounded like you guys were going to switch songs but you weren't. You know, something tells me that you haven't had any sleep when you wrote that. Am I wrong?"

Lyle speaks into his microphone. "Uh… yeah. Things… things were getting pretty complicated for me back home and I thought that writing the song would help me get through everything, you know?"

Matt laughs again. "Haha! Well, I'm glad you did. You know, we had you all fill out a form to us earlier, so you could help us get to know you all a little better… and DALTON KNIGHT… the singer… you call him 'Jedi' correct?"

Lyle answers. "Yeah, that's right. He's our number one fan."

"Now let me ask you a question, Lyle. Have you ever thought of getting permission from that corporation and doing a Star Wars based song?"

Lyle raises an eyebrow. A Star Wars based song? Why would he do anything like that? What's there to sing about?

"Not really… no."

"Well you could call it 'Lightsabers for Hands,' instead of 'Guns for Hands.'"

Matt points to the audience.

"If you guys want Gloom Eclipse to remain in the tournament and move on to the final round, call or text the number on your screen RIGHT NOW!

After the break, we'll be back with D.A.B.S.A! And their song… which Devin won't allow me to say right now!"

* * *

Seeing the members of Gloom Eclipse backstage along with Nights of Nostalgia, Josh turns around to see the other members of his band.

"Looks like we have some time on our hands, don't we?"

Peter, his childhood friend since their first day in kindergarten, talks back. "I noticed you were… clapping along with everybody else. Their song wasn't all that good, you know? An INBRED wrote it!"

"HEY!" Josh starts to argue back. "This is the first time 'Guns for Hands' was ever played for us! You should be HAPPY… that you got to listen to this song."

Peter takes a step back while Darren, a former bully to both Josh and Peter, crosses his arms thinking about what Josh had said. Miranda on the other hand gives Josh a warm smile.

"Well… if the song's good enough for you, Josh." She walks over to and kisses him on the cheek. "Then I guess it's good enough for me too."

"Thanks Miranda." Said Josh as he puts his arm around her shoulders. "I'm so lucky to have you."

He then sees the members of D.A.B.S.A. preparing to go on stage, "Hey guys!" He called out to them. "Getting nervous!?"

Devin smirked. "HA! Nervous isn't in my vocab! And the same goes for my friends too!"

Austin raises his hand. "I'm a little nervous."

"AUSTIN!" Devin snaps at him, frightening everybody. "WHAT did I talk to you about before we left!?"

Josh scratches his head. "This is gonna be a long night."

* * *

"You know, Matt. The thing about boy bands…"

Mark clears his throat. "Excuse me, the thing about boy bands… is that there's almost nothing differentiating them from each other.

There's the shy teenager, the cute teenager, the outgoing teenager. You know the formula. They're usually pushed on us by some of the more corrupt parts of the music industry in an attempt to make a quick buck. I mean… the members don't even write their own music.

What D.A.B.S.A. needs to prove to us tonight is that they need to be in it for their love of music. Not fame, or money, or even meeting supermodels and actresses… but that's just my take."

"I couldn't have said it better myself, Mark. And again, thank you for joining us here tonight."

Matt faces the audience. "Now… I think it's about time for our second act of the night… So here's D.A.B.S.A. performing… a song."

The audience cheers as the lights dim out around the stage.

Fog machines then start up again, signaling the entrance of the boy band. Their backs to the audience while doing nothing else…

Then it starts…

"**Summertime love! Be my summertime lover!**

**GET UP! GET UP!**"

Backstage, Bobby covers his eyes with his right hand. "Oh god. Not 'Summertime Lover.'"

Lyle gives him a confused look. "You know this song?"

The members of D.A.B.S.A. then start dancing like any other boy band does. Devin is at the center of it all as he continues singing.

"**Hey girl! I just saw the post you did online!**

**I bet that pictures gonna get over a million likes!**

**Hey girl! I hope you get this D.M. in time!**

**I put emojis everywhere so it's easy to find!**"

Devin starts doing the Melbourne Shuffle while the others are doing faster dance moves.

"_**Give me one chance, I'll treat you like a princess…"**_

* * *

"_Show you my heart and I'll tell you all my secrets…_"

Back at the Loud House, Lola angrily rolls her eyes at what she's hearing. Boy bands, to her, are so from 2004.

"Lynn, give me the remote! I'm changing the channel!"

"Oh no you don't!" Lynn snaps back at her younger sister. "I'm not missing even one second of Nights of Nostalgia!"

"I SAID GIVE IT!"

Whenever two aunts get into a physical fight in the Loud House, the Sin Kids know to stay away or else they'll end up getting hurt.

* * *

Still at the center of the stage, Devin keeps singing while the other members are doing a dance move where they rotate their upper bodies.

"**Summer love.**"

"**I wanna be your lover.**"

"**Summer love.**"

"**I'll take you anywhere!**"

"**Summer love.**"

"**Just you and me together! Summertime love! Be my summertime lover!**"

One by one, each member stops dancing and does a specific pose. A pose that looks quite familiar to some of the older members of the audience.

Ashton crouches down on his knees while Austin rests his right elbow on his left hand behind him. Brian stands sideways with his arms folded while Steven bends one knee and has his arms wide open.

Devin is at the center of it all with his hands on his knees and the five members kept that pose during the rest of the song. Pausing their dancing altogether as they stand completely still.

"**GET UP! GET UP!**

**You know I'll hold you tight!**

**GET UP! GET UP!**

**I got you by my side!**

**GET UP! GET UP!**

**You know I'll do it right!**

**Summertime love! Be my summertime lover!**"

"**WOOOOOO!**"

Devin waves at the audience as they cheer for him and his band. Matt walks back on stage.

"Summertime Lover! Who would have thought that a song from an AT&T commercial of all things would be performed here tonight!? That was a great performance, Devin! Is there anything you wanna say?"

"Yeah… uh… I wanna… thank you Matt. You… OBVIOUSLY Googled the song when we were halfway through… But I can't blame you for not knowing it now, can I?"

Matt smirks. "Haha! I did pull out my phone, Devin. You weren't seeing things. Now… forgive me for asking you this… but…

_**We're we supposed to dance!?**_"

* * *

**Originally, I was going to have D.A.B.S.A. sing 'Step By Step,' from New Kids on the Block when I thought of something...**

'**Hey, remember that catchy song from that commercial you saw three months back? The guy who wrote it has got to have released the full version out by now.'**

**I listened to 'Summertime Lover' about 15 times that day. I didn't even get any writing done.**

**Look forward to the next chapter, everybody!**


	6. First Round (Part 2)

Thug Twilight and Essential Greece

Clapping can be heard everywhere in the theatre as Thug Twilight starts off their song.

There are still two more bands after them, so they know they have to make a lasting impression.

The leader, Twyiana Davis, starts to sing.

**(Airplanes - B.O.B. Hayley Williams)**

**"Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky,**

**Are like shooting stars?**

**I could really use a wish right now,**

**Wish right now, wish right now.**

**Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky,**

**Are like shooting stars?**

**I could really use a wish right now,**

**Wish right now, wish right now."**

Lemy is watching the performance from backstage.

"Damn. They're killing us out there. I don't think we're… Joey, are you crying?"

Right next to him, Joey quickly dries his eyes with his shirt sleeve. The song's gotten to him emotionally.

"I'm not crying! You're crying! Shut up!"

Bobby shrugs his shoulders. "I didn't even know this version of the song even existed."

"Okay guys." Everyone turns their attention to Lyle.

"I just want you all to know that no matter what happens to us tonight… I enjoyed playing with each and everyone of you."

Stuart gives Lyle a warm smile. "I feel the same way, man. You know, there's actually something that's been on my-"

Stuart gets cut off however, as everyone notices an argument going on nearby. They see Josh, leader of Essential Greece, having a conversation with Luna and the rest of Nights of Nostalgia.

"You know… LUNA… the term 'nostalgia' was coined by a 17th century medical student to describe the old pains of Swiss soldiers who were away from home. I don't see it like ANY of you do!"

Luna raises an eyebrow while Lisa faces the opposite direction, silently impressed by Josh's remarks. "That's… kinda sad." Said Luna. "Don't you think?"

Josh keeps smiling. "Just wanted to make a little small talk before either of us go on stage."

"WE'LL PUMMEL YOU!" Said Darren, walking up to the adults standing on Josh's side.

"WE'LL CRUSH YOU!" Said Peter, taking the other side of Josh.

"We'll… SEE!" Said Lincoln, standing at his sisters side and trying to diffuse the situation.

Josh looks up and down at Lincoln. "I have so many questions… that I DON'T wanna know the answers to!"

* * *

"What really is there to say about Essential Greece?"

Chloe Granger is now discussing Essential Greece to everybody.

"Up until three months ago, this band is something no one's even HEARD of… Their rise to fame comes from their leader, Josh Kelley, who has written some AMAZING songs which I couldn't stop listening to… Alonzo and Bustopher Jones, two of my cats, especially love the song 'High Hopes.'

And with the new songs that Josh has for us, I only hope they're just as good as that one; because Bombalurina is feeling a little down lately."

"Well, let's hope that they don't disappoint us now; with their newest song and all that." Said Matt. "I would like to take this moment and remind everyone that THIS SHOW… is all about giving people a shot at stardom…

So who's ready for Essential Greece!?"

**"WOOOOOO!"**

Gloom Eclipse, Nights of Nostalgia, D.A.B.S.A., and Thug Twilight sit down watching in anticipation for Essential Greece's newest song.

"_Okay, Josh." _Thought Lyle. _"Show us what you got!"_

The cheering of the crowd dies down a little as they start to hear the angelic voice of Miranda May.

**"Climbing out the back door,**

**Didn't leave a mark.**

**No one knows it's you,**

**Miss Jackson."**

Luna continues to sit down with her arms folded. _"Miss Jackson? Who's that?"_

Josh, Darren, and Peter start playing their instruments while continuing where Miranda left off. They start chanting,

**"HEY-HEY-AAAAY!**

**HEY-HEY-AAAAY!**

**HEY-HEY-AAAAY!**

**HEY-HEY-AAAAY!"**

Josh then starts to sing.

**"You put a sour little flavor in my mouth now.**

**You move in circles hoping no one's gonna find out.**

**But we're so lucky, kiss the ring and let 'em bow down.**

**Looking for the time of your life!"**

Darren leans closer into his microphone, **"Ain't always gonna find out."**

**"A pretty picture but the scenery is so _loud!_**

**A face like Heaven, catching lighting in your nightgown!"**

That was when Nights of Nostalgia and Gloom Eclipse perk their heads up a little.

"_OKAY! I heard LOUD!" _Thought Luna. _"Is there anything you wanna SAY to us, Josh Kelley!?"_

**"HEEEEEEEY!**

**Where will you be waking up tomorrow morning!?**

**HEEEEEEEY!**

**Out the back door, goddamn, but I love her anyway!"**

Darren, Peter, and Miranda then start chanting behind Josh.

**"HEY-HEY-AAAAY!"**

**"I love her anyway!"**

**"HEY-HEY-AAAAY!"**

**"I love her anyway!"**

**"HEY-HEY-AAAAY!"**

**"Out the back door, goddamn, but I love her anyway!**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**I love her anyway!"**

**"Ohhhhhhh!"**

**"Where will you be waking up tomorrow morning!?"**

"_This is weird."_ Thought Lyle. _"It sounds a bit like MY song… mentioning mornings."_

**"Way down 'til the fire finally dies out.**

**You've got 'em wrapped around your finger,**

**Watch 'em fall down!"**

"_WOW!" _Thought Lincoln. _"Is it just me… or is Essential Greece insulting me and my sisters through song!? I mean… I'm sure Luna's getting…"_

Lincoln snaps out of his train of thought as he witnesses his older sister drying her eyes and sniffing.

"I c-can't do this… I… I just…" Luna then stops talking as she quickly rises up and starts to leave, shocking Lincoln, the three other sisters , and Gloom Eclipse.

"Luna!" Lincoln yells as he stands up and follows her, the other sisters doing the same. "W-where are you going!? We're up next!"

"_Heh… well… THAT happened."_ Thought Lyle as he shrugs his shoulders.

On the other hand, Lemy is quite stunned at the events that are happening.

"_You gotta be KIDDING me mom!" _He thought. _"I don't wanna see you like this… I NEVER wanna see you like this!"_

It's not just them either, the leaders of the other bands have thoughts of their own.

"_HA! There goes our competition!"_ Thought Devin.

"_Whoa. I hope I'll still get to hear her sing. I'm still curious." _Thought Twyiana.

The sound of Miranda's angelic singing voice then caught everyone off guard.

**"Climbing out the back door,**

**Didn't leave a mark.**

**No one knows it's you,**

**Miss Jackson.**

**Found another victim but no one's gonna find,**

**Miss Jackson, Jackson, Jackson."**

Josh then takes over.

**"I LOVE HER ANYWAY!**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON! MISS JACKSON!**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**ARE YOU NASTY!?**

**I love her anyway!"**

**"Ohhhhhhh!"**

**"Where will you be waking up tomorrow morning!?"**

**"Ohhhhhhh!"**

**"Out the back door, goddamn, but I love her anyway!"**

_**"WOOOOOO!"**_

Having finished the song, Josh bows to the audience cheering at him and his friends. That was truly a song they'll never forget.

"Miss Jackson! Miss Jackson! Miss Jackson! Are you nasty!?" Yelled Mark as he gets back on stage.

"Haha! Only you could give us a song as unique as THAT, Josh! Now is there anything you wanna say!?"

Josh clears his throat and speaks into his microphone.

"Yeah, Matt. I… uh… just wanna take this moment right here to… thank my mom… Who taught me to sing when I was five. She was always there for me whenever I needed help for… anything really. And… she sometimes worked multiple jobs back then just so I could eat…

So yeah, I know she's watching this from right back home. I can't say this enough to you, mom… I love you."

"Wow." Said Matt, who like pretty much everybody else listening to Josh, was taken aback. "You're a good man, Josh. You deserve another round of applause. LET ME HEAR IT PEOPLE!"

"WOOOOOO!"

Josh smiles and waves at the audience again as Matt continues speaking.

"Now if you guys want Essential Greece to remain in the tournament and move on to the final round, call or text the number on your screen RIGHT NOW!

And after the break, we'll be back with our FINAL band, Nights of Nostalgia, performing a new song for us called…"

"ROY! ROY! ROY! ROY!"

Matt raises an eyebrow, confused as to why the crowd is shouting his co-host's name.

He then looks behind him to see Roy again, only this time he doesn't look half as happy as he was when he went on stage to announce the rules of the tournament.

Roy then talks to Matt so that the microphone isn't picking up anything he's saying.

"Wait, what?" Said Matt, not believing what he's hearing right now. "Are you sure."

Roy talks again, with the microphone still not picking up anything he's saying.

He then gives Matt a friendly pat on the shoulder before making his way off the stage.

"Okay." Said Matt, facing the audience again. "I just got word from Roy… due to some… unexpected events happening that are completely out of the lead singer's hands…

Nights of Nostalgia will NOT be performing tonight!"

"WHAT!?" Screamed Lyle and Lemy as they stood up from their chairs.

* * *

**When writing this chapter, another thought came to me,**

'**Hey, remember that book you read all the way back in the 5th grade about that classroom of students from that crazy elementary school? Well, let's take that one scene with the kid who wanted to play kickball and nobody else wanted to play with him and put it into the story.' Life's weird sometimes.**

**Anyway, the song that I wrote that Luna would sing will come later, you just have to wait a bit more, okay? Thank you.**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

With some time to spare just before the elimination announcement, the four remaining bands are seen hanging out backstage.

They're in a big room that's mostly white. A large table of refreshments is laid out against a wall as well as a giant screen T.V. mounted on another wall with a bunch of chairs in front of it so anybody can watch the show going on near them at any time. Also on the walls are pictures of various singers who are mostly previous winners of the Battle of the Bands. One can say that maybe they're all probably doing some advertisement work right now just so they can pay the bills.

As much as Lemy would like to see a picture of Gloom Eclipse up on that wall, he's gotta admit that the odds of that happening are slim at best because of what he's facing right now.

Josh 'Apollo' Kelley.

This is the same guy that made Luna Loud, his own mother, not wanting to compete anymore. This enrages him…

Literally months of practice led to this night right here and here comes a guy who just devalued it all in just under four minutes.

Couple that with the fact that he had to see his mom cry right in front of him, Lemy now has one thing on his mind: revenge.

He sees his brother, Lyle, talking with Jedi and Stuart. Having a laugh together as Stuart appears to have told some kind of joke. At the corner of his eye, he could also see Bobby and Joey helping themselves out to some free food at the table.

Near them, he could see Devin Walker and Twyiana Davis having a conversation. The smiles on their faces imply that whatever they're talking about, it's pleasant and nothing else.

That's when he came up with an idea. A way he can get back at the man who made his mom cry.

Immediately, he stands up on a nearby chair.

"HEY GUYS! Listen up! I got an idea!"

Everyone in the room stops talking and looks up at Lemy.

"I think we can all agree that Josh here has some wicked songwriting skills. Skills that were good enough to make my mom forfeit the contest. So I have an idea…"

Ignoring Essential Greece's facial expressions when he called out Josh, Lemy points at the door leading to the hallway.

"Josh will go in one room, my younger brother, Lyle, will go in another… and whoever writes the best song in ten minutes wins!"

Lyle takes a step back while Josh makes his opinion known, "Uh… I don't see why NOT, but…"

"That sounds like fun. You guys can try it!" Said Twyiana, putting her hands on her hips.

Devin scratches his head. "I mean… we got SOME time… so yeah. Go for it."

Lemy smiles at the three bands before he feels himself getting punched in the arm by Lyle. "Ow!"

"What do you think you're DOING, man!?" Said Lyle. "I can't make a song in ten minutes!"

Lemy rubs his arm as he tries to talk to his brother.

"I didn't forget when you said that DEADLINES are your greatest inspiration. You said you INHERITED it for crying out loud. Heh."

Josh then notices Peter laughing behind him. "Haha. Inherited. Haha."

As much as Lyle hates to admit it, Lemy's right, but what could he possibly write in just ten minutes?

Admitting defeat, he walks up to Josh. "Okay, Josh. 'The man with high hopes.' You feel like writing?"

Josh shrugs his shoulders. "I do, actually. I think I owe it to your brother anyway. I didn't mean to make Luna quit."

Lemy rolls his eyes. _"SURE you didn't, buddy! Those hurtful lyrics were JUST a coincidence and NOT because you wanted to embarrass us on live T.V.!"_

Ten minutes later, everyone has their eyes on Joey as he announces both Lyle and Josh.

"Ladies and gentlemen! We are gathered here tonight to witness an epic battle before the final round of the Battle of the Bands…

In the blue corner… my personal friend… Lyle Loud!"

Playing on a portable electric piano, Lyle sings the newest song that he wrote. _"You wanted a song, Lemy!? I'll give you a song!"_ He angrily thought.

"**T's uncrossed and I's undotted, **

**I am incomplete.**

**She's looking down at me, knowing I am lonely.**

**I hear her heartbeat…"**

"_Oh, great."_ Thought Lemy. _"He took the tune from Post Malone's 'Hollywood's Bleeding.' I am so stupid!" _

Lyle continues singing as he changes the way he plays the piano so that he's playing higher notes.

"**Ohhhhh.**

**She is surrounding…**

**All my surroundings.**

**Sounding down the mountain range.**

**Of my left-side brain.**

**She is surrounding…**

**All my surroundings…**

**Twisting the kaleidoscope…**

**Behind both of my eyes!"**

He plays the piano a little more before ending the song.

Almost immediately, Lemy claps his hands, followed by Stuart and a few members of D.A.B.S.A. and Thug Twilight.

"Thanks guys." Said Lyle as he sits down.

"And now…" Said Joey. "The soon to be defeated… Josh Kelley!"

Peter turns to face Darren. "Who made THIS guy the announcer!?"

"Hi guys… umm." Josh stumbles a bit. "Before I start, I just wanna say that I do say the F word once, so…"

"You're fine, man." Said an impatient Lemy.

"Okay then… adult rating it is." Josh starts to play the piano.

**"Cross my heart and hope to die.**

**Burn my lungs and curse my eyes.**

**I've lost control and I don't want it back.**

**I'm going numb, I've been hijacked!**

**It's a fucking drag!"**

"_Shit."_ Lemy thought as he looks over at Lyle, who isn't looking too good right now. _"I've just made a big mistake! He came up with THAT in ten minutes!?" _

**"I taste you on my lips and I can't get rid of you!**

**So I say damn your kiss and the awful things you do!**

**Yeah, you're WORSE THAN NICOTINE!**

**NICOTINE!**

**Yeah, you're WORSE THAN NICOTINE!**

**NICOTINE!**

**YEAH!"**

The sound of applause hit Lemy's ears again, only this time it's twice as loud. At this point, it's clear who the winner of his little game is.

"Um… er… ah… AND NOW THE VOTE!" Said Joey, unsure of what else to say.

"NO!"

Everybody turns their attention to Lyle, who's looking straight at Josh.

"No vote." He takes a deep breath. "Back in Royal Woods, Gloom Eclipse was THE band… now here we're just A band. We're good… but everybody else is just better."

Josh then tries to cheer up Lyle a bit. "Lyle… we know writing songs isn't easy. You know?"

"Well, you seem to have it all figured out for yourself, haven't you Josh? You know it doesn't come as easy for the rest of us! That song of yours… Nicotine… Has that charm to it! It's only going to get better over time while I'm already forgetting what I wrote. I gotta sit down."

While Lyle takes a seat, Bobby looks up at the lights above him. "I would have voted for the nicotine song."

Jedi crosses his arms. Lyle's song was good, but in his opinion, Josh's was better. "Yeah… me too."

Lemy and Stuart rush to Lyle's side.

"Lyle, I'm so sorry I put you into that situation, I don't know what I was thinking!" Lemy quickly apologizes, feeling that he's failed as an older brother.

Now it's Stuart's turn to speak.

"Lyle, I just wanna let you know…

If I was a girl and you sang that song to me, I would instantly fall in love with you."

Lyle looks away from the floor and at Stuart; slightly shocked at what he heard.

"Stuart, you're not a girl, and you'll never BE one! So stop trying to make me feel better!"

Stuart stands up to leave the room, feeling hurt by what Lyle said to him, but not before giving Lemy a mean look for what he did to him.

He's got a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

"AND… WE'RE BACK!"

The four bands on stage look directly at Matt Thomas knowing one of them won't make it to the next round.

"As you all know, Nights of Nostalgia forfeited the contest, meaning your votes will knock off only one of the bands here for this round.

They all deserve awards of their own but there can only be… one winner of the Battle of the Bands."

He looks over at the nineteen people on stage and speaks into his microphone again.

"Essential Greece and Thug Twilight…

BOTH OF YOU ARE SAFE!"

The audience cheers as all the members of both bands wave at them; happy that they get to be in the final round.

"And now… it's down to this… two bands are left."

Lyle gulps. It's either his band or D.A.B.S.A. Say what you want about the boy band, but they're not exactly what one would call pushovers in talent contests.

"The votes are in!" Said Matt. "And the band… that got the third highest amount of votes is…"

"_Pause for dramatic effect." _He thought.

"_And now the pause of dramatic effect." _Thought both Lyle and Devin.

"_What the hell's taking so long!? I gotta pee!" _Screamed Jedi in his mind.

"**GLOOM ECLIPSE!"**

A huge wave of relief washes over the band as they realize they're not going to be kicked off just yet.

On the other hand, Devin and the rest of his band just stood there in disbelief.

"We… had the least amount of votes?" Said Devin.

Matt walks over to him. "Sorry, Devin. You and your band are clearly talented, but you can't win 'em all, right?"

"Heh." Devin starts to smile, surprising the other four guys and even himself. "Then I guess we'll have to train even harder if there ever is a next time for us.

At least we're not quitters like Mrs. Luna Loud!"

That caught Lemy's attention. _"Well… he's not WRONG!"_

Devin points at the audience. "Just you wait, Detroit! Pretty soon, you will ALL know the name… D.A.B.S.A.!"

"**WOOOOO! DAB-SA! DAB-SA! DAB-SA!"**

Devin raises his hands up and accepts his defeat. The other members then do the same.

Seeing them wave to the audience, Josh thinks to himself.

"_Well… we may be one song away from producing an album…_

_**Now if only everyone knew that the songs on that album WEREN'T MINE!"**_

* * *

**(FLASHBACK**

**FOUR MONTHS AGO)**

At his home at Great Lakes City, Josh looks up from his phone and reminds himself that the amount of clothes in his laundry hamper are piling up.

He takes the earbuds from out of his ears and reminded himself that he and his mom actually ran out of laundry detergent the day before.

"Okay… the store first… laundromat tomorrow."

For a second, he considered knocking on his mom's door but decided against it. Even though she told him to come to her room at anytime, he doesn't want to risk seeing whatever she does in there.

He puts on his grey jacket and bicycle helmet before going outside. He's made many trips to the bodega before and it usually takes him about twenty minutes to get there and back. That's still enough time to be away from home without his mom knowing.

The bike ride started out just like any other, but five minutes in, Josh starts to notice that all the lights are going off in front of him.

He starts to slow down his bike.

"What the… a blackout?"

***SCREECH***

He quickly faces to his right… only for the oncoming bus to crash right into him, knocking off his bike and into the pavement. "UUUuuugh."

"Oh my god!" The driver said, quickly getting out of the bus as the lights flicker back on again. "I'll get help!"

It's a good thing Josh was wearing his helmet.

* * *

'**Yesterday' was a good movie for me. So I decided to do something with a global blackout in the sequel to 'Chlorine.' Instead of The Beatles, I chose Panic! At the Disco. Instead of the main character, the antagonist will be swapping dimensions.**


	8. Final Round (Part 1)

**A quick disclaimer: the songs are not mine.**

Josh Comes Clean

* * *

**(Flashback)**

"A great guitar requires a great song."

After spending a night at the hospital, Josh is back on his feet and is presented with a new guitar.

His mom, girlfriend, and friends are in front of him wanting to see him play it.

Josh's mom, Jen Kelley, is what one would call their friend's 'hot mom.' Even in her mid 40's, she's quite the attraction. Long black hair, clear skin, and what can only be described as a perfect figure. It seems that every other day to Josh, somebody was trying to woo her.

Not that he minded of course. She needed somebody else to love in his opinion.

Staring back at Jen, Miranda, Darren, and Peter, Josh starts playing the guitar, knowing exactly what he's going to play for them.

"**Had to have high, high hopes for a living.**

**Shooting for the stars when I couldn't make a killing.**

**Didn't have a dime but I always had a vision.**

**Always had high, high hopes.**

**Had to have high, high hopes for a living.**

**Didn't know how, but I always had a feeling.**

**I was gonna be that one in a million.**

**Always had high, high hopes…"**

He looks up to see the other four looking at him completely invested in the song.

"Go on." Said his mom, wanting to hear more.

"Okay mom, if you say so." Said Josh, deciding to give his mom what she wants since she's been worried about him when she learned that he was admitted to the hospital.

"**Mama said, fulfill the prophecy, be something greater.**

**Go make a legacy. Manifest destiny, back in the days.**

**We wanted everything. Wanted everything.**

**Mama said, burn your biographies.**

**Rewrite your history, light up your wildest dreams.**

**Museum victories, everyday.**

**We wanted everything. Wanted everything."**

Jen and Miranda look pretty astonished at this point.

"What the hell was that?" Said Miranda, trying to gather what she just heard.

"High Hopes." Said Josh.

"When did you… write that?" Said Jen.

This confused Josh, he was sure that they heard of this song before, it occasionally plays on Great Lakes Radio.

"I didn't write it." He said. "Brendon Urie wrote it. Panic at the Disco."

Josh then sees everyone in front of him looking more confused than they did before.

"Who?" Said Miranda.

The conversation didn't last much longer after that.

* * *

The music from the T.V. screen above Josh snaps him out of his train of thought.

**(E.T. - Katy Perry)**

"**Different DNA.**

**They don't understand you.**

**You're from a whole other world.**

**A different dimension.**

**You open my eyes…"**

The Battle of the Bands have just started the final round and Essential Greece is set to go on after Thug Twilight with Gloom Eclipse set to go on after them.

"Guys." He calls out to his other band members. "Change of plans. We're playing 'New Perspective.'"

"What!?" Darren shouts in disbelief. "What about the song about poise and rationality!?"

Josh was about to argue back when Miranda stands up for him.

"Don't raise your voice in front of my boyfriend, Darren! Since when did YOU become an expert in music!?"

"_Oh, Miranda."_ Thought Josh. _"Lying to you has got to have hurt me most of all."_

* * *

**(Flashback)**

***RING RING RING***

For Miranda May, sleep is the third most important thing in her life next to food… and Josh Kelley.

Ever since Josh, Peter, and Darren performed that half decent cover of Billy Joel's 'Piano Man' in the talent show in their sophomore year of high school, she found herself becoming slightly attracted to him no different than the way he said that he was attracted to her.

That attraction for him only grew when he asked her to join his band. Seeing herself in that red dress also made everything worthwhile…

But on the other hand, receiving a phone call in the middle of the night isn't worthwhile.

With her eyes still shut she presses the call button on the screen and brings the phone to her ear.

"What." She said in a flat, tired tone.

"_Miranda." _Josh said on the other line. _"I'm… I'm sorry I woke you up."_

Almost immediately, Miranda sits up straight and quickly rubs her eyes. The last thing she wants is for her boyfriend to feel hurt; especially after the accident two nights ago.

"Oh no! Josh! You didn't wake me! What's up!?" She's obviously lying through her teeth, but Josh didn't care at this point.

"_Do you legitimately not know about Panic at the Disco?" _He questioned her.

"Legitimately." She answered. The first thing she did when she went back home is to try to look around the internet for the band so she could listen to their songs with Josh, but she found nothing. As much as she wanted to say yes, she couldn't. "Why?"

"_Why? Well, it looks like I'm in a very complicated situation right now. That's why. I have some songwriting to do. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night Miranda."_

"Josh, wait!" Said Miranda, not wanting to end the call with her lover just yet.

"_Yeah?"_

Miranda puts her right hand under her bed sheets while holding her phone with her left.

"Have you been… thinking about us lately? Us… doing things?"

"_Huh? What kind of things?"_

"You know… I've been thinking of you… Us… and your lovely co-"

***BEEP***

Miranda blinks twice. Her attempt at having phone sex failed… again.

"Damn."

With her right hand still under her sheets, she slips it into her panties. "Might as well finish."

Across town, Josh sits in front of his laptop, typing some words into the search bar.

"Okay… who else is gone?"

He types** Linkin Park…**

Only for Santa Monica's Lincoln Park to appear in the search results.

"_Damn it! I can't listen to 'Numb' anymore!"_

He types **Billie Eilish…**

There is nobody with that name in the search results.

"'_Everything I wanted' is gone too! SHIT! I hope she's okay!"_

He types **Juice WRLD…**

All of his songs are still up.

"_You didn't let the world forget you Juice. May you rest in peace… Okay, one more and then I'll start writing."_

He types **Twenty One Pilots…**

Only for Arthur Miller's play, 'All My Sons' to show up in the search results.

"_Come on, Tyler!" _Thought an extremely annoyed Josh. _"You can't be… NOT singing!"_

Deciding to try again, he types **Chlorine song…**

And within the next five minutes, Josh had learned that the songs of Twenty One Pilots in this universe were not written by a bunch of high school students from Columbus…

"EEERK!" Josh brings his hands to his mouth as he tries to force back his vomit. He then runs toward the bathroom, hoping he can make it in time.

He now knows that the songs have now been written and performed by a band with two inbred teenagers in a city three hours from where he lives.

And it disgusts him.

* * *

"Give it up for Thug Twilight everybody!"

"**WOOOOOO!"**

Matt continues speaking.

"NOW! Who's ready for Essential Greece!?"

"**WOOO!" "YEAH!" "ESSENTIAL GREECE!"**

"Now this song… that Josh has written for all of us, is one that he's gotta have spent a lot of time working on.

Because the song he was GOING to sing… so I'm told… was replaced with THIS one… So without any further ado…

ESSENTIAL GREECE and their newest song…

**NEW PERSPECTIVE!**"

Backstage, the name of the song caught Lyle's attention. Why call it 'New Perspective?' Is it a song that tries to get others to see things the way Josh sees them?

"_Well, that's just selfish isn't it, Josh?" _Thought Lyle. _"I'd say that you're my least favorite artist… but that would be a lie. High Hopes is AMAZING!"_

After gathering his courage, Josh starts to sing.

"**I feel the salty waves come in.**

**I feel them crash against my skin.**

**And I smile as I respire because,**

**I know they'll never win."**

Watching the performance from her phone, Luna scoffs while her siblings try to comfort her.

"Why are you even listening to their song, Luna." Said Lincoln. "You know what they did."

"Because I don't miss musical talent for the-"

"_Can you please find the strength to forgive me?"_

Luna immediately looks back at her phone. Josh didn't say what she thought he had said, did he?

**"Stop there and let me correct it!**

**I wanna be praised from a new perspective!"**

While playing their instruments, Darren and Peter look awkwardly at each other. They know the song almost as well as Josh does and it isn't exactly a song a band should be playing at the last round in the Battle of the Bands.

**"I wanna be praised from a new perspective!**

**But leaving now would be a good idea.**

**So catch me up on getting out of here…**

**Can you please find the strength to forgive me…**

**Taking everything for granted, but we still respect the time.**

**We move along with some new passion knowing everything is fine…"**

"Heh heh." Lemy nervously laughs. "These guys are a bunch of pushovers, aren't they Lyle?"

"Shut up Lemy." Said Lyle. "Just… listen!"

**"Can you please find the strength to forgive me?**

**Stop there and let me correct it!**

**I wanna be praised from a new perspective!"**

Mark looks over to Mark and Chloe; they seem to be heavily invested in Josh's song especially when he mentioned that he's leaving.

But he can't really leave without winning first, right?

**"Take a look around instead and watch me…"**

At this point, Darren, Peter, and Miranda stop playing since half the bridge of the song passed. It's now just Josh playing the piano.

**"Stop there and let me correct it!**

**I wanna live a life from a new perspective!**

**You come along because I know your face!**

**And I'll admire your expensive taste! And…"**

The other three started playing again.

**"WHO CARES DIVINE INTERVENTION!**

**I wanna be praised from a new perspective!**

**But leaving now would be a good idea!**

**So catch me up on getting out of here!**

**It's not fair, just let me perfect it!**

**Don't wanna live a life that was comprehensive!**

**'Cause seeing clear would be a bad idea!**

**Now catch me up on getting out of here!**

**So catch me up on getting out of here!"**

**"WOOOOOO!"**

Almost immediately, Matt runs on stage, trying to get some words in.

"Now that was an AMAZING SONG! That song will truly give all of-"

"MATT!" Interrupts Josh, surprising everybody. "There's something I need to get off my chest. Can I talk for a minute, please?"

"Huh? A minute?" Said Matt. "Well… I was gonna let you speak anyway, so… go ahead. Talk."

Josh faces directly at the audience, still a little nervous about everything. _"Okay… here goes nothing."_

"Guys." He starts to speak. "Audience, backstage people, FRONTSTAGE… people, everyone at home… _mom…_

I've been lying to all of you."

Josh's band members went wide eyed, especially Miranda. Josh had been lying to them?

"What the hell?" Said Lyle as he stands up.

Josh continues speaking. "All the songs I've made my band play were really written and performed by a group of much more talented musicians led by a man named Brendon Urie…

They called themselves… Panic at the Disco.

THEY were the real geniuses, I'm JUST the guy who shared their music with you all! I've been passing their amazing songs off as my own so I could feel like I was amazing too!

I also want you all to know that I won't be taking any money for this work that isn't mine!

You can have all the songs online… FOR FREE!"

"_Well… looks like the band I wanted to win… couldn't." _Thought Matt.

"I also wanna say something else." Said Josh. "Nights of Nostalgia, they walked out of the contest, but… I wanna give them OUR spot! It isn't fair… what I've done!"

"WHAT!?" Shouted Darren and Peter. Josh is now giving their spot over to that group of inbreeders without talking to them first.

"Well… this just got interesting." Said Lyle.

"Hm? What makes you so sure they'll come back?" Said a confused Jedi.

"Are you kidding me!? My mom ALWAYS grabs any chance to play music!" Said Lemy. "We're going to compete against them AFTER ALL!"

Josh continues speaking. "Well… that's all I have to say. Thank you guys!"

Immediately, the audience starts to cheer again, applauding Josh for his honesty.

"We still love you!" "We'll never forget you, Josh!"

Alongside the audience are Matt and Chloe, also applauding Josh.

Miranda then walks over to Josh and puts her hand on his shoulder. They then look into each others eyes for a bit before smiling. Their relationship pretty much unchanged through the whole experience.

"Ugh. Get a room you two." Said Peter.

"Well… you heard it right here tonight, folks!" Said Matt, reintroducing himself to the conversation. "Nights of Nostalgia… especially Luna Loud, if you wish to perform her, I'm sure we'll make SOME TIME and…"

Matt then finds himself getting cut off again by a voice getting louder and louder behind him.

"I'M IN! I'M IN! I'M IN! I'M IN!"

"_Oh crap." _He thought, secretly wishing to not hear about Nights of Nostalgia for the rest of… ever.

Luna Loud runs on the stage "WOO-HOO!"

"YEAHHHHH!" The audience cheers.

"_Is the audience… cheering?" _Thought Darren.

"Thanks for the offer, dude!" Said Luna, with the microphone not picking up her words. "I promise I won't let you down!"

She extends her hand over to Josh for a handshake, which he hesitates.

"I'm not sick dude, relax."

"_Oh, you're sick alright!" _Thought Josh. He then decides to shake her hand anyway. "Good luck…_**you'll need it.**_"

Backstage, Lyle claps his hands together.

"WELL… looks like we have some more time to prepare!"


	9. Final Round (Part 2)

Chapter 9

Waiting for Luna and the rest of her band to start off their song, Lyle finds himself sitting near Josh.

"You know, Lyle. I have heard that song you made earlier before." He hears him say.

"You have, where?"

"It was before the blackout." Answered Josh. "We can't look at all their songs NOW… but BEFORE, for me, everyone I know listened to those songs at least once."

He looks down at the floor below him.

"Your songs… Lyle. There's something about them that I think you should know about."

Lyle raises an eyebrow. What is it about his own songs that he needs to know? "What?"

"You mostly write at night, don't you? And you show the songs off to your band the day after. You enjoy the mornings more than you enjoy the nights but at the same time, you see the nights as necessary to get ahead when writing your next song.

When you win this contest, Lyle, you'll win because people like hearing about how you think about things. Especially given your… family situation."

Lyle sits there with his mouth hanging open. All he really did when writing his songs was search for what words rhyme with what. He never thought to think of his music like that.

"Josh." He finally speaks. "You think the reason why Gloom Eclipse is as popular as it is, is because people enjoy hearing the way I THINK!?"

Josh nodded. "That's what makes_ them_… I… I mean… YOU stand out from pretty much everybody else in the music industry. Which I gotta be honest, flat out sucks!"

The two then share a laugh. "I can't disagree with you there, buddy!" Said Lyle. "I still can't believe you plagiarized your music though."

"OH! Look at that!" Said Josh, pointing at the T.V. screen and changing the topic. "Your aunt's about to come on!"

* * *

"What exactly is there for me to say, Matt?"

Everybody at this point is listening to Mark Richards.

"The only things that we've heard from Nights of Nostalgia are covers from other songs and there were no new songs that Luna came up with herself even three decades ago. In order for them to win at this point is to sing a song that sticks with the audience more than Thug Twilight's cover of E.T. or whatever song Gloom Eclipse came up with."

"I completely agree with Mark." Said Chloe. "But I also gotta add that Luna Loud is the musician with the most experience out of all of the bands. I think Mick Swagger used to think highly of her before… you know?"

"Yeah, rest in peace Mick Swagger! He's up there with the greats looking down at us right now!" Said Matt, not wanting the conversation to carry on any further.

"And now without any further ado… please welcome Nights of Nostalgia performing… 'Plastic.'"

Immediately; Luna, Lincoln, Lucy, Lana, and Lisa started playing their instruments furiously. They weren't too rhythmic, but they were noisy. Then Luna started to sing.

"**I stand here now,**

**With no map,**

**With no direction…**

'**Cause I've seen the ghosts…**

**Who are they…**

**To show affection?**

**Oh, can I go on?**

**I sometimes feel…**

**Like PLASTIC!"**

Everybody backstage are now debating to themselves whether or not to cover their ears.

"Oh god." Said Lemy. "THAT'S what I was missing!? What is this?"

Josh buries his face in his hands while his friends and girlfriend stare down at him. "I'm so… so… sorry."

Then Lincoln started singing the chorus.

**"Oh, plastic bag!**

**It's blowing in the gutter!**

**Lost and alone!**

**Like toast without butter!"**

Now it's Matt's turn to bring his hands to his face. He thought they were going to be bad, but not this bad.

Luna then sings again.

**"Gave too much!**

**Thought I could endure!**

**While I see today!**

**I see that… I am more mature!**

**Oh, can I go on?**

**I sometimes feel…**

**Like PLASTIC!"**

* * *

Back at the Loud House, the family is giving off mixed reactions.

"Well… this is… LITERALLY new!" Said Lori.

"_I can make a song better than THIS!"_ Thought Loan, looking forward to not watching the show anymore.

"_I take everything back." _Thought Lupa. _"I want Gloom Eclipse to win. FUCK THIS SONG AND FUCK KATY PERRY!" _**(I imagine Lupa not liking Katy Perry)**

* * *

Luna finishes off the song.

**"I stand here now!**

**And face you all!**

**We will win the race somehow!**

**We will stand tall!**

**And in the end, you will allow!**

**Painful long days.**

**Nothing fantastic!**

**I know all the ways!**

**The CHOICES… THAT ARE… DRASTIC!"**

To say that the audience's reaction to Luna's song was mixed would be an understatement.

"I'm… I'm hearing some booing, Luna." Said Lincoln.

Lucy looks away from the crowd. "They wouldn't know good poetry if I locked them in a library."

"Okay! What the heck was that!?" Said Matt as he walks on the stage again.

"It's… 'Plastic.'" Said Luna. "My newest song!"

"I know it's a SONG, Luna. It's…" Matt faces Mark and Chloe. "Guys, help me out here."

"Sure thing, Matt." Said Mark as he stands up.

"For starters, what's the deal with the chorus?"

Luna playfully tilts her head to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You needed to use a word that rhymes with gutter, I get that; but did you really have to choose butter? That's something an EIGHT YEAR OLD would choose!"

"EXCUSE ME!" Shouted Lucy. "I'll have you know that I WAS EIGHT when I wrote that poem. I think it's great that I got to share it again in this song!"

"WOW!" Said Mark. "THIRTY YEARS and you didn't improve on a poem. I'm actually impressed!"

"Now hold on Mark! Hold on Mark!" Interrupted Chloe. "Now I heard a lot of terrible songs before from the greedy music industry, and I do often say that I'd rather prefer listening to children sing some songs because they would have more passion than whatever teams of people the executives of the corporations end up hiring…

So the way I see this; is that this is like the world telling me that if I wanted to hear a song like THAT… here it is."

"**HAHAHAHAHA!"**

* * *

Back at the Loud House, Luan sneezes. "AH-CHOO!"

"Oh no! I'm NOT giving you another tissue!" Said Liby.

* * *

"Well, I don't care what you all think. I had FUN and that's all that matters to me!" Luna snaps back.

Matt then stands directly in front of her facing the camera.

"If you guys want Nights of Nostalgia to be crowned the winner of the Battle of the Bands, call or text the number on your screen RIGHT NOW!

After the break, we'll be back with our FINAL act of the night! Gloom Eclipse!"

* * *

"Well, that could have gone a lot better." Lincoln sighs as Nights of Nostalgia head backstage, earning some nasty stares from random people passing by.

"Relax, bro. This is nothing we haven't faced before." Said Luna as she smiles at her siblings.

"Yeah, Linc! I couldn't have written a song like 'Plastic' to save my life!" Said Lana.

"But we do know who IS good at writing songs: Lyle!" Said Lisa.

Lincoln takes a deep breath. "Hey, I'm just glad the worst is over for me. I don't think I wanna go on stage for a VERY long time!"

"Well, welcome back guys!" They hear Josh Kelley shout out to them. "I hope you're all ready for Lyle's song! It's gonna rock!"

* * *

"If I REALLY had to pick a favorite, Matt. I'd choose 'Guns for Hands.'"

Matt narrows his gaze at Mark. "Really?"

"I mean… It's not plagiarized like Miss Jackson or New Perspective. It's not a song cover. It's a genuinely good song that I can latch on to…

_I know what you think in the morning, when the sun shines on the ground. It shows what you have done. It shows where your mind has gone._

I think it's a song about… _empathy. _We don't get enough of that in today's music."

"I get what you're trying to say, Mark! I just don't think empathy was on Lyle's mind when he… You know what? Nevermind. We all hear what we want to hear."

Matt faces the audience.

"Now… I know you're all waiting for the newest song of Gloom Eclipse… so here they are performing…

**Ode to Sleep!**"

Backstage, Josh stands up cheering.

"YEAH… I don't know what that song is!"

* * *

Feeling confident enough, Lyle starts playing the piano while Stuart looks straight at him as he plays his bass guitar.

"_Freddie Mercury, this one's for you!" _He thought. This is the moment the four guys have been waiting for… Lyle's magnum opus.

Backstage, Jedi is sitting next to Joey, clapping his hands. "This is it! The best song ever!"

This caught Luna's and Twyiana's attention. _"The best song ever!?" _They thought in unison.

Lemy and Bobby then start to join in, all four members playing at this point.

Then Lyle starts to sing.

"**I wake up fine and dandy,**

**But then by the time I find it handy,**

**To rip my heart apart and start,**

**Planning my crash landing.**

**I go up, up, up, up, up to the ceiling.**

**Then I feel my soul start leaving.**

**Like an old man's hair receding…**

**I'm pleading please…"**

"_Okay." _Thought Matt. _"I never heard a song like THIS before!"_

"**I'll tell the moon!**

**Take this weapon forged in darkness!**

**Some see a pen, I SEE A HARPOON!"**

* * *

Working at his job as a waiter, Jeremy Heffley looks at the T.V. above him.

"_Son of a bitch." _He thought, seeing his former band member of Vocal Edge in the Battle of the Bands.

"Yeah! Way to go, Stuart!"

"HEY! Watch it!"

He quickly realizes that he accidentally spilled some water onto a customer's table.

"Sorry sir, I'll clean that up… right after I finish watching."

* * *

**"I'll stay awake…**

**'Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight!"**

Lemy, Bobby, and Stuart then start speeding up the way they play, changing the beat of the song.

**"Why am I not scared in the morning?**

**I don't hear those voices calling!**

**I must have kicked them out!**

**I must have kicked them out!"**

"_Alright alright!" _Josh thinks to himself. "_Why have I never heard this song before? Did Tyler really make this?"_

**"Please tell them you have no plans for me!**

**I will set my soul on fire; what have I become!?**

**I'll tell them!"**

The cheering of the audience almost deafened Lyle as he prepares to sing the next verse.

"_Okay… now the hard part."_

"**On the eve of a day,**

**That's forgotten and fake,**

**And the trees, they await,**

**And the clouds anticipate!**

**The start of a day when,**

**We put on our face!**

**A mask that portrays, **

**That we don't need grace!**

**On the eve of a day that is bigger than us…**"

* * *

Somewhere in the midwest, Lynn Sr. and Rita Loud are seen looking at Lyle's performance on their T.V.

"What in God's name is he saying!? He's singing too fast!" Said Lynn, his ear not being what they used to.

"Don't you worry, dear. I'm sure we'll get SOME explanation before long." Said Rita, putting her husband at ease.

"Well we better. My grandson's got talent!"

* * *

**"I'm afraid to tell you who I adore!**

**Won't tell you who I'm singing towards!"**

Lyle looks straight at the back of Lemy's head as he continues singing.

**"Metaphorically I'm a whore!**

**And that's DENIAL NUMBER FOUR!"**

* * *

"_I'll stay awake…_

'_Cause the dark's not taking prisoners tonight!" _

Smiling to herself as she continues designing a website for a construction company, Lily Loud, the sister that got away, delivers a comment.

"Not bad, nephew."

She keeps focusing on her work, positive that she'll meet her deadline. "Not bad at all."

* * *

**"I swear I heard demons yelling!**

**Those crazy words they were spelling!**

**They told me I was gone!**

**They told me I was gone!"**

"_What kind of demons is Lyle talking about?" _Thought Lucy, trying to break down the song but couldn't.

* * *

Listening to the performance from her phone, Sam Sharp smiles to herself.

"Only YOU could make a song like this, Lyle. You truly are one of the best if not THE best I've heard of."

* * *

**"But I tell 'em!**

**Why won't you let me go!**

**Do I threaten all your plans? I'm insignificant!"**

Lemy and Stuart then join Lyle in singing the last few lyrics.

"**Please tell them **_**you have no plans for me!**_

_**I will set my soul on fire; what have I become!?**_

_**I'll tell 'em!**_

_**You… have no plans for me!**_

_**I will set my soul on fire; what have I become!?**_

_**I'll tell 'em!" **_

The four guys tilt their heads side to side as they close out the song; with the crowd's cheering drowning out Lyle's last lyrics.

Backstage, everybody is looking at Jedi, who is rapidly clapping his hands, and at Joey, who is laughing to himself. "If a song like THAT doesn't win this contest, I don't know what will!"

"Thank you so much everybody!" Said Lyle as tears start forming in his eyes. "I'm so glad you loved it!"

Lemy, Bobby, and Stuart get closer to Lyle as they wave to the audience. One by one, they each give him a pat on the back as he has his head down.

Matt then speaks up. "What's there for me to say, guys!?" He looks over to Mark and Chloe, who along with everybody else, is giving a standing ovation to Gloom Eclipse.

"YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO!"

* * *

It was quiet in the theater, the bands are now on stage waiting for Matt Thomas to announce the winner. Even though it's obvious who the winner is.

"Who have you, at home, chosen as the winner? It's time… THE VOTES ARE IN… THE WINNER… OF THE BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2045 IS…"

"_**GLOOM ECLIPSE! GLOOM ECLIPSE! GLOOM ECLIPSE!" **_

Matt rolls his eyes, which would later trend on all the social media sites.

"Gloom Eclipse."

"_**WOOOOOOOO!"**_

Everybody on stage acted what one would think they would have acted. Lyle at this point is overwhelmed with joy.

* * *

**Okay guys, at this point, I'm in a rush to complete this story as soon as possible. So things may feel a little rushed. Sorry about that.**

**Just one more chapter to go. Thank you everybody!**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

**(Three weeks later)**

**"She's the tear in my heart!**

**I'm alive!**

**She's the tear in my heart!**

**I'm on fire!**

**She's the tear in my heart!**

**Take me higher, than I've EVER BEEN!"**

It's a full house at the Royal Woods Theater. It's not half as big as the Fox Theater but it's still suitable for tonight's performance.

Tonight, the people in the audience are given the chance to witness a collaboration between their local band, Gloom Eclipse, and the now disgraced but still loved, Essential Greece, with the singer being Josh Kelley.

'Tear in my Heart' does seem to be a song that he wrote himself. The live performance will be included in the album set to be released sometime in 2046.

Also in the audience, along with nearly all the members of everyone's family and friends, were the bands D.A.B.S.A., Thug Twilight, and the musical bloggers; Mark Richards and Chloe Granger, who are definitely going to write an article describing how great the performance was.

Josh continues singing, with Lyle, Lemy, Peter, and Miranda playing their instruments behind him.

**"My heart is my armor.**

**She's the tear in my heart.**

**She's a carver.**

**She's a butcher with a smile.**

**Cut me farther…**

**Than I've ever been."**

The audience then cheers for them as Lyle gets up from his seat and over to Josh. They looked into each others eyes and decided to hug each other in front of everyone.

When they pulled away, Josh says to Lyle,

"Look at all of them, Lyle. I think we may be hearing some new music from them one day."

Lyle continues smiling at Josh. "You plagiarized this song, didn't you?"

Josh shrugs his shoulders. "If I didn't, you would have written it."

* * *

**(One week later)**

Taking a deep breath to calm herself down, Loan sits down on the portable electric piano in front of her.

Maybe telling her parents that she wrote a song wasn't as good of an idea as she thought.

Lincoln and Lori are on the couch, looking more curious by the second at what their daughter wrote.

"Alright…" She nervously says. "This song is called… _'Everything I Wanted.'_"

She then starts playing the piano, sounding simple, yet unique at the same time.

**"I had a dream…**

**I got everything I wanted.**

**Not what you think…**

**And if I'm being honest,**

**It might have been-"**

***DING-DONG***

Loan stops singing. The sound of the doorbell distracting her.

"Oh, sorry Loan. I'll get it." Lori stands up to answer the door.

Loan looks back to see her dad looking back at her. "I gotta admit, Loan. That was a good start. It's very pretty."

Lincoln then looks away from Loan to see another familiar face. A hispanic woman with long hair who's the same age as he is and wears purple.

"What's going on, lame-o?"

"Ronnie Anne!" Lincoln stands up to give the house guest and the mother of one of his sons a hug. "I'm so glad you could join us, Loan over there is singing us a new song that she wrote."

"Oh really now!?" Ronnie Anne smiles at Loan. "It looks like Lyle may have a bit of competition. Robert too."

"He prefers to be called Bobby." Said Loan.

"Well… I'm sure he'll like 'Everything We Wanted.'" Said Lori.

"It's 'Everything _I_ Wanted.'" Said Loan, correcting her mother.

Ronnie Anne takes a seat on the only other empty chair left in the living room. "Well… I'm all ears, Loan. Take me away."

"Okay… three's a crowd… but okay." Now more nervous than before, Loan starts over with her song.

**"I had a dream…**

**I got everything I wanted.**

**Not what you-"**

"Would you like something to drink, Ronnie?"

"DAD!"

Lincoln starts to argue. "What? I already heard that part!"

"Sorry, Loan." Said Ronnie Anne. "Your dad's a rude man… I'll take orange juice if you have any."

"One orange juice coming right up!" Lincoln stands up and walks to the kitchen, patting his daughter's back on the way.

"Can I get ice with that!?" Ronnie Anne shouts from across the room.

"Sure thing!"

Slightly annoyed, Loan says, "Alright, is everyone else settled?"

"Yes!" Lori and Ronnie Anne say in unison. "Hurry up, Loan. You're literally losing the crowd."

Loan plays the piano again. "I had a dream… I got everything I-"

***RING RING RING***

Lori quickly picks up her cell phone. "Sorry, Loan. Sorry." She checks to see who's calling. "OH! It's Leni! She's calling from Chicago!" She answers the phone.

"Hi sis! Yeah, everything's fine over here! Loan came up to me and Lincoln earlier saying that she's written a new song and wants us to hear it! Everything they wanted"

"Everything I wanted." Said Loan.

"Everything I wanted." Said Lori.

Her facial expression then takes a turn for the worst as she hears Leni speaking from the other end. "Yeah… I know… I know… I know… _I know._"

"WHAT do you know?" Said a frustrated Loan.

"Listen, I'll call you back as soon as it's finished, alright? Yeah. I love you too sis. Bye-bye."

Lori hangs up. "Alright! Carry on with the song, Loan!"

"Maybe start AFTER the beginning." Said Lincoln, returning with a glass of orange juice for Ronnie Anne. "I've heard it three times now."

Loan argues back. "If it's okay, I'm going to go from the top."

"Suit yourself." Said Lincoln, sitting down and admitting defeat.

Loan starts to play the piano again…

Only for Lincoln to interrupt. "Then we could play some Mario Kart!"

Loan then slams on the piano, causing it to fall off of its stand and onto the floor.

"FORGET IT! It wasn't that good anyway!" she yells before heading upstairs to her room.

"Loan!" Lincoln stands up to follow her, only for Lori to stop him. "Relax, Lincoln. Loan will share her song with us when she's good and ready."

Taking a sip from her orange juice, Ronnie Anne comments, "This is really good O.J."

* * *

At the Loud House bunker, Lisa Loud is hesitantly giving a vial full of some kind of serum to a person in the shadows.

"I got to warn you." She said, "If you ever take this serum. You MAY turn into a woman… but you'll never turn BACK! Now are you SURE you want to take this with you, because I really don't think you're thinking this through."

The person steps out of the shadow, revealing to be Stuart Ferguson, who quickly snatches the vial of gender-swapping serum from Lisa's hand and puts it in his jacket pocket.

"I might be using this in the future… but then again I might not…

I guess I'll have to wait and see."

* * *

**And that was High Hopes. I have high hopes that you guys like this story and I also have high hopes that I'll come up with another decent story idea in the future. **

**When I finished 'Chlorine,' I figured there was about a one in ten chance that I'll make a serious sequel that's not like 'Lunch Break.' Now that I finished this story, it now feels more like a one in a hundred chance that I'll make another sequel.**

**It really was thanks to the movie 'Yesterday' that I was able to make this story. It was in theaters during the time I was writing 'Chlorine.' There were a few scenes from my story, especially the scene with Loan, that I wanted to have based on scenes from the movie.**

**One more thing before I go… Whether or not Stuart takes the gender-swapping serum to turn into a girl and try to seduce Lyle will be entirely up to you.**

**Again, thank you all for reading and I hope to see you all again soon.**


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